Hell Hath No Fury
by alphinski
Summary: A demon!Stiles fic in which Stiles gets possessed by a demon, Scott and Derek argue, Lydia knows nothing and everything at the same time, Allison has to fight her family and Jackson has problems of his own - so basically the usual in Beacon Hills. Except now Stiles is trying to kill everyone. Sterek.
1. Friend

**A/N: **and a wild first chapter appears! I apologize for the mistakes, I have no beta because apparently I'm not cool enough but I really hope you like it! (edit: I have officially ditched the prologue because it really didn't fit so in case you haven't read it, let me give you a brief run down of what happened: Stiles was waiting for Derek because he was going to give him the 'I think I'm in love with you, please don't kill me speech' but then he received a text from Scott who had gotten himself stuck on the Argents' roof half naked and trying to hide from the 'reinforcement' the Argents had called in. Stiles being Stiles went out to rescue him. Like I said before, I haven't really seen many demon Stiles fics that focus on _all _the relationships because they're usually just Sterek and so I thought I'd give it a shot. If you still want to read the prologue, you can find it on my blog alphinski on Tumblr. Just add /demonstilesfanfic to the url and you should find it. Alternatively you can message me and I will be more than happy to send you the direct link.)

**Disclaimer: **I don't know who 'owns' TV shows but my best guess is Jeff Davis

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**'A Friend in Need'**

"Scott? Are you awake?"

"No Stiles it's two in the freaking morning!" There was the rustle of bedcovers being shifted before a groggy looking Scott tried to sit up but only succeeded in slumping back down again "What the hell are you doing here? My mom will kill you! She wasn't kidding when she said I was grounded"

"What? I'm not important enough to have a secret relationship with?" he asked trying to sound offended "I knew this day would come Scott! You've finally chosen Allison over me... where did it all go wrong?"

Scott just stared at him with a patented mixture of confused puppy and extremely sleepy confused puppy. It was a look Stiles often received and he was used to it.

"Look, I just wanted to make sure you got away from the hunters alright" he explained patiently, considering every way in which he could torture the werewolf awake. Wolfsbane skewers were his weapon of choice when it came to the wolf men but those usually ended in death and apparently the boss needed this one alive.

He amused himself with thoughts of the last time he had come across a wolf. It was a school boy just like this one and he'd stabbed it with a wolfsbane tipped pencil. It didn't kill him right away but the blood! Oh the blood! The stupid heart pumped itself dry and all he had to do was sit back and watch.

"I'm fine" said Scott finally pulling himself up. He wrinkled his nose and started to sniff the air "Dude, you smell weird"

_Scott just shut up and go back to sleep! Leave it alone you-!_

The demon grinned to himself. The Stilinski kid thought that ignorance would save his best friend. Maybe he wasn't as smart as he seemed. "Gee thanks for your consideration Scott"

"No really" the werewolf replied taking another whiff "Like...rotten eggs or something. You know you really should try Armani. It has a nice sort of..." he paused looking puzzled "Stiles, what are you doing?"

The demon had finally grown tired of the pointless chatter. He had list of names to torture and only a week to do it before questions were asked and he was sent back to hell. He hadn't clawed his way out of the pit to be insulted by a stupid half asleep werepuppy! Besides, this whole pretending to be best friends was getting boring. He had never really been one for friends. Slaves and minions were his forte. He closed the curtains quickly before considering his options.

He could either torture the boy inside the house where the mother might hear them or he could take him out to the woods where they'd be alone.

"Look Scott" he said, turning around slowly "Do you want to be tortured here, in your room or do you want it done in the woods?" he asked "I mean, I really don't mind but it's just that your mom is in the other room and she might hear us and decide to check up on you and then things would get really messy and..." he trailed off, looking expectantly at Scott who was just staring at him in disbelief.

"Stiles..." he said warily through furrowed eyebrows.

The demon sighed.

"I really thought we could skip the introductions but I guess not" The confused look did not budge "My name is Brax but you can call me Stiles Stilinski. I'll be in town for a bit, but don't worry I won't kill anyone…_important_" he curled his lips into a smile, finally letting his eyes flash black as he emphasised that last word. It was a lie of course. He was under strict orders not to kill _anyone, _but the boss had said nothing about torturing or even maiming and so _what _if one of these meat suits left here missing a limb or four? As long as their hearts were still pumping blood through their veins they were still alive, right?

Speaking of _blood_, Dopey's seemed to be rushing a hell of a lot faster than it ought to. He could hear the dull thudding as it picked up its pace, even as the lips curled back into a snarl. He counted to himself; 1…2…3 and sure enough the claws were out and he was being shoved against the wall, feet barely touching the ground. The wolf's hands were at his throat his long nails digging into the exposed flesh.

"_Who are you and what have you done to Stiles?_" he growled, his eyes flashing amber.

Brax took a second just to admire them because they really were _fascinating_! He was seriously considering getting some himself, maybe in red- after he was done with this kid of course. If Lilith and Azazel could change the colours of their eyes…but he hadn't come across anything of the sort in the 7,000 years he had spent on earth. No spell or book that could help him voodoo up some new eyes…

Another low growl brought him back to the wolf in front of him and the claws that were digging even deeper into his neck-well Stiles' neck but he was borrowing it for now. The blood was flowing freely and he could feel the slick trails running down into his shirt and the glinting fangs only inches away looked all set to bite.

"Looks like the werepuppy forgot to do his research" he choked out, as he stared down into the glowing eyes and grinned when the hands loosened slightly "you'redoing the hurting Wolfboy. The claws and the fangs? Stiles can feel every bit of it"

Within a second the claws were gone and Scott had jumped back, staring at Stiles with a mixture of confusion, anger and maybe even a little fear. Honestly he just looked so damn _adorable_ and the demon just wanted to rip him to shreds.

"W-What?" he asked cautiously "What are you?"

"Look, I'm the one who is going to be asking the questions around here" the demon told him "But if you must know, your friend Stiles has been possessed by a demon. He's still in here begging for me to let you go but unfortunately I cannot do that. Now answer me! Is it going to be the house or the woods?"

"Woods" said Scott apparently deciding to put on a brave face. The demon wondered how long that would last "I will...cooperate as long as Stiles doesn't get hurt"

He couldn't help but smile at that. He sounded like a little boy playing at being a grown up, but failing miserably. This was going to be so much fun!

* * *

Stop! You'll kill him! Stiles thought desperately as the werewolf let out another howl. Scott's face was a palette of jagged cuts, some still bleeding raw and others starting to heal. Stiles had jabbed wolfsbane into every single one of them and watched as the flesh sizzled a delicious green. Well Stiles' body had. Stiles was too busy ramming into the bars of his cage as he heard his best friend scream over and over again.

Usually it was just hoarse yelling followed by some wolfish growls but sometimes the boy managed to form words in between. It was these that really tore at him. They cut him in half as surely as any knife. He begged the demon to shut his eyes so he wouldn't have to see, but it would just laugh at him and dig in deeper.

"Stiles!" the boy would yell, arching his back and straining at the chains as he looked straight into the demon's eyes. Straight into the demon's eyes and straight at the slobbering pool Stiles had become inside. "Stiles _please_!" Those words set off another panic attack, the likes of which he hadn't experienced since his mom died.

This boy, this lacrosse loving goofball he'd fought so hard to look after, he was Stiles' only _real _friend and Stiles was killing him with his own hands.

They'd been through the main questions fast enough. It was soon apparent that Scott knew nothing about the seal and the impending apocalypse but they had repeated the questions over and over until the wolf had been coughing up blood on the forest floor. Then the demon had gagged him with the remnants of his torn shirt, taking to just taunting him...until _that _got boring as well. Stiles didn't know what would happen come dawn but he was choking himself with the guilt and the worry and just hoping and hoping with every fibre of his being that the younger werewolf would still be of use to the demon, even as just a plaything.

"Please? Really you ungrateful mutt, please?" the voice sounded so much like his own that at times even Stiles believed _he_ was the one talking "There's no Stiles here to help you now, in fact he should have done this a long time ago. I would have if I had a friend like you" he spat the word friend out like it was poisoned and jabbed at the wide-eyed wolf again "I've seen the way you treat him. I've seen the way you _discarded_ him as soon as you got your pretty new girlfriend. You are a horrible friend Scott McCall. Stiles is tearing himself apart inside trying to save your sorry little werewolf ass and the least you can do is shut up because your screaming 'Stiles _please_!' is torturing him better than anything even _I _could come up with" Scott continued to stare at him, his expression blank as he took in every word the demon was saying.

"Do you have any idea what it's like being stuck in the head of an insecure neurotic teenager? Let alone an insecure neurotic teenager who second guesses every action he's ever done because he thinks he's pushed away is best-_and only- _friend." The anger had been building inside the demon for a while now and Stiles could feel it coming to a head. "He remembers every praise you have ever given him Scott, _everything_! It plays over and over and over again. It's _sickening_! And of course he blames himself, he _always _does. But guess what! I am not your weak, pathetic, needy little human chew toy. I know that it was _you _who pushed him away, it's all on you Scott, it's your fault and now I'm going to make you pay for the _both _of us!"

It pressed against the bars of the cage he'd been locked in. There was a rush of images, a rush of memories. With a start he realised these were his own memories, through a red film.

The suppressed rage, his self worth issues, every time he had ever berated himself for failing Scott and every time he'd ever tried to pinpoint exactly where had managed to drive away his best friend. Sleepless nights, endless pacing and those times he'd punched the wall just to feel the sharp sting run up his knuckles. They were all there, laid out for him like a movie. Every time this boy had ever hurt him. This boy he had built his life around almost ten years ago.

Suddenly he knew what to do. What he _had _to do. He picked himself up and pressed against the bars, determination making his entire being vibrate. The images stopped as the demon watched him, too puzzled to continue.

Do it, he said as loud and self assured as he could muster. Kill him, but not just yet. Do it slowly. We can take it slowly. Make it painful. Make it last for hours. You're right, this one deserves it and I won't fight you.

He licked his lips and stood up straighter. He smiled as the bars were lifted and the black engulfed him. He was a part of the demon now, and the world just became a shade darker. Hatred and malice surrounded everything he laid eyes on. _This _was the way the demon saw the world.

It was a new feeling, looking down at the dead eyed Scott and he found he liked it. He'd never had power like this before and he'd never known how much he craved it. He liked the way he could finally hold the other boy's life in his hands. He hadn't realised until Scott started spending time with Allison, but somewhere along the line Stiles had given Scott a large chunk of himself. Scott had held it and then he had discarded it like it meant less than-

Well now it was time for Stiles to repay the favour.

He grinned manically down at Scott, enjoying the way his mouth twisted in new ways. His hands were still clutching the skewer and he was about to give the werewolf a hard jab while the demon egged him on delightedly. But that was when he heard the pluck. He whipped around only to hear the whizz of a crossbow and ducked instinctively.

"Don't shoot him!" cried Scott, fully wolfed out and completely healed as he yanked at his chains "You'll hurt Stiles!"

The demon strained at their body, trying to spin around and lunge at the werewolf but Stiles was no longer in his cage. He dug his heels in, fighting, willing his feet to stay put. He wasn't strong enough. Within seconds the demon had overpowered him, roaring as it sent him hurtling straight back into the depths of his own mind. It was too late though and the wolf was already sprinting away, one hand gripping a dark, slender figure that could only be his girlfriend.

The demon cursed loudly, digging fingernails into Stiles' cheek until his hands were stained with blood. Stiles screamed in pain, begging him to stop but the demon was past caring.

You will pay for this kid. You will pay for this with your life and the lives of everyone you have ever laid eyes on. I will rip them apart until Beacon Hills rains blood and I will make you watch when I do it. I can't kill them now but I swear as soon as the apocalypse has begun while the war rages, I will come back for them and then I will deliver you to hell myself.

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**A/N: **yes, no, maybe?

Please let me know what you think!


	2. Once Bitten

**A/N: **I posted this as a one-shot a while ago but it fits into the story right here. Sorry for lack of _new _chapter but I'm working on it and it should be up by the neXT episode. Also, I've just realized that I haven't told you anything in terms of setting- the fic is set shortly after season 1 and involves some elements of season 2 but it doesn't actually follow the plot. Erica, Boyd and Issac are absent (really sorry but it was getting difficult to juggle all of them) and Jackson isn't the Kanima yet. Feel free to message me on my Tumblr (alphinski) if you want to chat :) Extra long author's note is now complete so I hope you enjoy!

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'**Chapter 2: Once Bitten'**

He should have known better. It was the story of his life and Stiles was just another chapter.

He should have known when Stiles collapsed through the window four hours later, shivering and panting that something was wrong.

The first thing he had noticed was the blood. It was everywhere. His arms were coated in it and his shirt which barely clung to his body in shreds was soaked through. There was even red on his pale face, replacing the usual flush.

He should have known better, but he hadn't.

He ran to Stiles, letting the wolf take over as he grabbed the limp body. Maybe he took the younger boy's face in his hands and maybe he yelled furiously at him when he didn't answer. Maybe the fangs had come out and maybe he had punched a hole in the wall. He couldn't quite remember.

"Y-you're hurting me" Stiles had wheezed out and Derek had leapt back immediately.

"Who did this to you?" he'd asked trying to be softer as the red film still distorted his vision.

"The woods" suddenly the younger boy's eyes widened in alarm "Scott! We have to find him" he stumbled towards the window again but Derek stopped him.

"I'm taking you to the hospital first"

"No I'm coming with you" his jaw was set firmly and his eyes told Derek not to argue.

"Stiles…" the wolf was growling inside of him. It wanted to rip and tear and feel the crunch of bones but Derek could fight it. He would fight it for Stiles.

"Derek I-I'll run away- from the hospital I swear if you don't take me I will-" he looked so pathetic and stupid and stubborn and damn it, how was anyone supposed to refuse a plea like that?

"Fine" he said gruffly as he helped the boy down. He had caught a whiff then. The smell of Stiles and blood was always nauseating but a part of him knew that this time it was just _wrong_.

Werewolf blood had a distinctive smell. It was a centuries old combination of earth and wilderness along with the metallic human. Stiles himself had smelt different. It was a strange smell of rotten eggs that emanated from within him.

He was a werewolf! He should have known there was something wrong the second the scent reached him. But of course the sensible part of his mind had switched off as soon as he'd seen Stiles. It always did.

Love was a nasty thing and Derek was sure he would never fall for it again. Not with Stiles. Not with anyone. He should have known better. It was common knowledge that if you play with fire you get burned, but what if you play with love?

Derek gritted his teeth as the knife was drawn out, the perfect silver now stained a dark red. He would not cry out. He would not give this monster that satisfaction. He continued to glare at the splintered wooden floor, waiting for it to end.

He should have known when they had arrived at his old house in the woods and Stiles had straightened up with a manic grin on his face that it was time to run. Of course he had hesitated, giving the demon enough time to cuff him with thick wolfsbane soaked metal. And even then he had refused to believe that it was anything other than some stupid teenage prank that Stiles had been drawn into. He didn't believe it until he saw the demon's eyes.

Chained up to the charred remains of his family's kitchen was strangely reminiscent of the time he had spent with electrical wires attached to his side under the watchful eyes of Kate Argent. Of course as psychotic as the woman had been, she did have some sort of code and a boss who was willing to make sure she followed it. No matter how far gone she was, there was still something that stopped her from just cutting him in half.

This thing that was watching him now with a twisted devilish grin that looked so out of place on Stiles' face didn't have any rules. No code or guidelines to abide by and no one around to keep it from crossing any and every moral line. It was an abomination much like himself only, he _would never_ stoop so low. He would never do that to Stiles of all people. Stiles who was probably tearing himself apart inside his own head- blaming himself for every bit of pain the demon was causing his friends and family. Derek hadn't spoken to Scott since he refused to join the pack but he was sure the younger werewolf knew nothing that could possibly interest the demon; he just hoped that meant Scott got a free run. But he knew better.

It was babbling on about seals and the apocalypse and how it would rip him open if he didn't answer and Derek soon found that he really wouldn't mind that. Anything would beat sitting here and listening to that voice croon on and on about the _wonderful _and _most inventive _ways it could torture him for information and even more than that, the _wonderful _and _most inventive _ways it could torture _Stiles_ while he watched.

Derek would never admit it out loud but he didn't _really _mind Stiles' constant chatter. The way he needed to fill every silence with a tidal wave of words that didn't make any sense at all. If anything, it gave the werewolf a few extra seconds to just stare at the other boy, rendered speechless by his enthusiasm and the way his hands moved rapidly to illustrate whatever it was he was trying to say. Sometimes he'd imagine stopping it and just closing the gap between them. Feeling the other boy's lips against his own and just watching as his brown eyes widened while the shock silenced the surge of words. But then he'd remember that Stiles was still afraid of him, the way the boy's heart sped up every time their eyes met said as much.

He'd always held some kind of hope that maybe when this raging supernatural war was over they could find some peace together. Somewhere where he could make the boy's heart race for entirely different reasons. If there was one person in the world who could accept the wolf within him, it was Stiles Stilinski and Derek wasn't about to lose that.

Of course the devil had other plans.

"Getting bored are we Mister Big Bad Wolf?"

The knife was tracing lazy patterns over his bare chest, working its way down to his abdomen and lower still, the dancing blade flirting with the muscles underneath.

A hand was brought up to his face, soft but wet with blood as it forced his chin up. Derek stared defiantly back up at the eyes which were black again. Good. Black was better than the liquid brown. He could face the black knowing it was the demon he was ripping apart. But Stiles? He wasn't sure he could ever face Stiles.

"I've already disposed of one stubborn werewolf today" the voice taunted in a sickly sweet voice as its eyes shifted back to Stiles' brown "I can easily make it another" It was closer now. The voice barely a whisper against his neck "But I've always wanted a pet Alpha…I think I'll take you home with me. Stiles would _love _that. In fact-"

But Derek couldn't hear the rest because there was something creeping along his neck. What was that? It felt like- no, it couldn't be-

Derek shuddered, suppressing what definitely was _not_ a whimper as the tongue trailed down his neck, licking, nipping and resting kisses on his collar bone. He tried to block out the fact that it was Stiles' tongue and Stiles' lips that were doing this to him. _Stiles would never do this to him._ Stiles didn't like him that way; in fact sometimes he felt Stiles didn't like him at all. It wasn't hard to imagine why. He was broken as a boy and now he was a broken man. Everything he touched fell apart. But this _thing, _it looked like Stiles, it almost smelt like Stiles and it felt like it was putting him back together and tearing him apart at the same time.

It moved down to his chest while another hand still gripping the knife was moved against his back. He dug his nails into the wood as the cold steel and hot tongue worked. Soon his heart was thumping so fast even the demon could hear it. It pulled back with a smug smile.

"You have no idea how many times this kid has done that to you up here" he grinned, pointing to his head "He's practically _begging _me to do it again right now" he cocked his head to the side, fingering the knife nonchalantly "Does it ever bother you Derek? That you have turned this sweet, innocent little boy into a lust driven fool" _It lies. They're all lies._ "Does it ever bother you that he puts _your _safety_,_ a werewolf- a _monster _over his own? Does it bother you that _you _are the reason he is being possessed by a demon right now?" He didn't remember when he had started to clench his fists but he dug in harder. _They're all lies,_ he thought ignoring the doubt in his own mind "He killed his _best friend _because of you. Has it ever crossed your mind that you've ruined this boy like Kate Argent ruined you?"

Derek lunged. He felt the claws snap out and he felt the fur spring up and he didn't care that he was frothing at the mouth like the creature he tried to keep buried. He tried to snap at the boy who just jerked playfully back before the cuffs dug into his wrists and forced him down.

"Aw, don't be such a Sour Wolf!" the demon teased, running a tongue over Stiles' lips before they twisted into a grin "There's nothing you can do. He feels _everything _remember?"

Derek growled, wanting so badly to let the wolf take over again but afraid it might kill Stiles. He slumped back down, teeth still bared and eyes still an angry shade of red.

That was when the demon knew it had won.

"Every time I kiss you, the kid screams because he thinks you don't want it" it whispered "Do you want to show him exactly how much you want it?"

Suddenly the lips were on his, hungrily prying his mouth open until Derek finally gave in.

* * *

**A/N: **As always, please let me know what you think. Seriously though... _please._


	3. Lydia

**A/N: **I got home today and was really excited by all you wonderful people following and now I just want to hug you all. Also, **heycarmichael, impulsed-45, MentToBeForever **and the two **Guests, **thank you so much for your reviews! I will indeed continue :) So anyway, as I promised on Tumblr here is the new chapter! Hope you enjoy it because honestly it was really fun to write!

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'**Chapter 3: Lydia'**

He had been watching the girl all day. It wasn't too hard considering the way she strutted through the halls, head held high like she owned the place while everyone else covered in her wake. Often he found that she was watching him too. Her green eyes drilled into him every time he looked down at his notes. Sometimes he'd catch her staring and they'd lock eyes. He'd wait for her to drop her gaze, flushing and embarrassed like the other humans, but she never did. Her lips, always perfectly painted would split into a smile and she would toss her strawberry blonde hair but she would never look away. He hated her already.

Stiles' memories gave him an extensive knowledge of Lydia Martin and her day to day schedule. The details that the boy remembered like the way she leaned forward the second the question was read out, her hand flying across the page yet the words staying as elegant as ever or the exact shade of lip gloss she wore Tuesday last week were both extraordinary and pathetic at the same time. But the demon couldn't deny that some of it was useful.

He followed her to the lockers before class. He was about to corner her but before he could say anything she spun around and _smiled. _"Stiles!" she said cheerily "I was wondering if you'd lost your nerve"

"I...you were?" he asked confused. Confused was a bad feeling. He did not like confused. He was the one who was supposed to be in charge. Being confused only made the need to rip the girl's throat out so much stronger.

"The answer is...no. I'm going with Jackson" she told him matter-of-factly. Suddenly he remembered a vague image of Scott talking enthusiastically about some party as they drove home from school a couple of weeks ago. Stiles hadn't planned on going. In fact he'd planned to spend the evening with someone else entirely.

"Of course, no this wasn't about the party- no" he looked around the corridor and was glad to find only a few students lingering. Still, it would be safer to have some privacy "Look Lydia, we need to talk..." He gestured pointedly at one of the empty classrooms opposite the lockers.

Lydia frowned for a second but it was quickly replaced by a shrug of her shoulders and her usual disinterested look. "Okay, whatever" she told him before leading the way into the room.

* * *

She screamed and it was lovely. He had to muffle it because they were still at school and he wasn't allowed to kill everyone until _after _they broke the seals but the thrill was still there.

_Of course_ the girl didn't know anything! None of the people in this blasted town did and the great Lydia Martin was no exception. She might act high and mighty, knowing just enough to make her dangerous and still more but in reality she bled like the rest of them.

He didn't know what was better. The muffled cries of pain as he ran the steel across her neck or the headache inducing cries from within his own head as the kid begged for him to stop.

He ran his tongue over his lips and stood back to admire his work. Sure the lips were still painted to perfection and she still had all her limbs but the girl in front of him was beyond recognition. Her hair was a mess and there were bleeding gashes criss-crossing her arm and coating her legs with blood. He had been careful to only mark where she could cover up the next day because he still wanted to keep a somewhat low profile but that didn't mean he couldn't take some artistic licence.

He cocked his head to the side and grinned when she opened her eyes. She'd been slipping in and out of consciousness for the past half hour and he had to admit it was getting on his nerves. It was just so _boring _staring at the unmoving body, especially when the girl herself was so feisty when she was awake.

"Welcome back, beautiful" he said brightly rising from the seat he had taken while he was waiting.

"Go to hell" she spat in return, digging her heels into Stiles' foot and causing the boy to flinch in pain. He was already too worn out to do much else.

Honestly, the demon didn't understand it. How could just _watching _other people get tortured be so painfully exhausting? So what if he had had a thing for the girl since third grade? Wasn't he after the wolf now? Why did he even care about this self-righteous bitch? He had to admit, he could see the appeal. She was...different from the other humans. She wasn't as easy to break and that mouth of hers was always ready with a retort. In fact what the boy saw in the _wolf _was the real question. He hated humans but if he had to pick one to keep it would probably be this girl. She had grown on him.

"That's not very nice!" pouted the demon in mock hurt "Stiles has always been..._polite _to you, you know between the stalking and the 'I love Lydia Martin' love hearts in his books. The least you could do is show him some respect"

"You're not Stiles" she told him, simply

"Honestly, you humans!" the demon hung his head "Why do you always feel the need to say the most _ridiculously_ obvious things?"

"I know what you are" she continued still wearing her indifferent look which wasn't working as well as usual thanks to her recent makeover "I wasn't sure before but I know now"

"What, pray tell, am I?" he asked "and remember if you get it wrong..." he held up the bloody knife for her.

"You're a demon" she said with such conviction in her voice that he almost decided he would spare her in the end. She had just been tortured into unconsciousness, repeatedly yet she could still hold her own so well... it was more than he could say for the two werewolves he'd met last night.

"Bravo!" he cried, allowing his eyes to flash black briefly "Now what do you want? An award? A trophy? Maybe a crown for Queen Lydia?"

The girl laughed. She actually_ laughed_ at him. _How dare she_! She tilted her head to the side, smiling pityingly at him and all of a sudden the demon wanted to rip her apart again.

"That won't be necessary" she told him sweetly and before he could get Stiles' stupid human limbs to react she dug her heels in again, leaping to her feet and grinding them in so hard that he could _feel _a toe breaking. That was unexpected but tolerable except that Stiles was howling and as much as he loved the kid's pain it was getting to the point where he could hardly think straight. He lost his grip on the girl while he was busy hissing at Stiles to shut up and she quickly darted backwards, towards the door.

Scowling, the demon made to follow, cursing his stupid meat suit as each step brought on a fresh set of cries.

Lydia paused with her hand still on the door and turned to face him with a curious expression on her face. He should have grabbed her then and there. He should have grabbed her, gagged her and tied her back down to the chair, but he was wary. The prey didn't usually stop mid pursuit. It didn't stop _just_ as it was getting away. It just didn't. It ran for its poor, pathetic little life with its heart threatening to beat out of its mouth as it hoped and hoped that the teeth wouldn't close in. Of course, Lydia Martin was never prey.

"Exorcizamus te" she started, softly at first but growing louder "omnis immundus spiritus omnis satanic potestas, omnis incursion"

Stiles' mouth opened and what came out was a scream that ended with a gasp, trying to suck in as much air as he could as bits of black smoke started to seep out. The demon felt a hand reaching out for him, fingers twisting and driving into the cracks of his being until he was surrounded. Then it started to tug, slowly ripping him away from the body. _His _body. _Stiles' _body. He tried to cling on. He dug his nails into his skin until they drew blood, hoping that the pain would keep him grounded but it didn't stop. He threw his head back and he screamed and he screamed until his voice was raw and he could no longer think of anything but the pit. Hell. He couldn't go back there.

The kid was huddled in the corner, apparently terrified that the hand would come for him next. The demon begged him for help. He rattled the bars and begged but the boy didn't move. The sound came next. It was a sharp whistle that drowned everything else out until it all went white.

Then it stopped. The hand vanished just as quickly as it had appeared and with a rush the demon was back in control of his limbs. With a start he opened his eyes only to find that the girl had disappeared and he was standing alone in the bloody classroom.

He kicked the nearest chair and it crashed into the opposite wall with the force sending fresh stabs of pain up his broken toes. The girl knew. She had almost exorcised him and that meant she was a danger. Yet it hadn't worked. That meant Lydia was playing with him or she did not actually know the rest of the prayer. Either way she had to be eliminated.

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**A/N: **Done! What did you think? Anything I could improve on/ suggestions for future/ what do you want to see?


	4. Dad

**A/N: **As always, thank you to everyone who reviewed and added this to their alerts. From the last chapter: in case any of you do not watch Supernatural, I'm basing the demon on the ones from the show which means yes, Lydia must have picked up that exorcism from one of her Latin books. However she was either not paying attention or didn't remember the rest so it wasn't completed and the demon stayed (message me for more detail). This chapter is a bit shorter but don't worry the next one will be much longer and will contain more Sterek. Stilinski feels are the worst so this was painful to write but I hope you enjoy! :)

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**'Chapter 4: Dad'**

"Where do you think you're going?" Stiles' body froze in the doorway as he heard the voice call out to him. No Dad, no! Not today! "It's getting late isn't it?" he was standing in the hallway, arms crossed with the stern Sheriff look on his face and suddenly Stiles felt sick.

In the past 24 hours he had watched himself stab his best friend, the girl of his dreams and... Derek. He'd _felt _himself torture them and sometimes the demon's sheer delight at cutting them open had washed over him and he'd felt himself _enjoying _it as their faces twisted in pain.

He wouldn't call it _lucky _but it was definitely a relief that the Sheriff had been too tied down with his work to worry about the late nights, ripped clothing and the scars that littered his body. He'd slipped in and out as he'd pleased – or at least as the demon pleased- without raising any suspicion and in return his father was left unharmed.

"Derek's" he felt his shoulders shrug and his lips twitch up into a smile "Don't wait up"

His father's eyebrows shot up and the lines on his forehead grew more distinct as he frowned. Stiles hadn't truly looked at him for a while. He had been too caught up with trying to save various werewolves from imminent death but as he tried to stop himself from shaking so the demon couldn't sense his anxiety, he couldn't help but take a long look.

He took in the lines gathered upon the Sheriff's face, a physical testament to the stress and worry he kept bottled up. He looked and he wondered if it was him, _Stiles _that had put them there. He knew he wasn't the perfect son, far from it in fact. His inability to sit still and concentrate, the way he seemed to gravitate towards trouble, the B he had received in Chemistry last week, he was a parent's worst nightmare and he knew his father worried. But he tried. He tried his best to keep his father happy and to make up for the fact that he'd lost the love of his life, only to be dumped with a hyperactive teenager to raise alone. Stiles would never be able to replace her, he knew that, but it didn't stop him from trying. The only problem was no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop messing up and his father never said a word about it.

Sometimes Stiles wished that they could just sit down and talk. Put everything out on the table like they used to do during their family meetings. Of course those days were long gone and the last time they had _really _sat down to talk had been back when his mother had still been with them. They played a new game now, edging around admittance and battling to keep their feelings safely locked away. The rules were simple. Never talk about _her _and never _ever _let your guard down.

Sometimes Stiles would cheat. Sometimes he would miss her so much and he would just need to hear her name. He would fill his dad's glass with liquor then, and watch as it would empty. He would fill it again and again until his old man was far enough gone that the walls came down and the frown lines relaxed. The Sheriff would look almost happy, almost at peace as he chatted away about work and Stiles would always feel guilty when he steered the conversation towards _her_. Still, it was these times that Stiles appreciated the most. They reminded him that she had really been there with them and that she wasn't just a figment of his imagination. A figure he had created to fill the gaping hole in his life. He had many imaginary friends and he didn't want his mother to become one of them. It was sharing her with other people and knowing that she was real to them as well that he needed but he always felt guilty having to ask that much of his father. That pinched look he got filled with guilt and _pain_, as though even talking about her caused him pain was almost too much for Stiles to handle.

"Derek? Derek _Hale_?" he asked, confused "How do you know Derek Hale?"

"We're..._friends_" the demon replied slowly, emphasising the word 'friends' so that it was obviously a lie.

"He's a little bit old to be your _friend, _isn't he?" the Sheriff asked cautiously and Stiles wished he had told him before about his..._thing _with Derek. He wasn't entirely sure if it was even a friendship let alone anything else yet but whatever it was he just wished that for once since the werewolves took over he could be honest with his Dad.

"It's a little bit late for you to start playing the father isn't it, _Sheriff_"

The Sheriff looked taken aback for a second as though he couldn't believe he had just heard that. Hell even _Stiles _still couldn't believe he'd heard that. The shock was soon replaced by a look he'd sworn he would never again let cross his father's face. It hadn't appeared since the funeral but the mixture of emotions was there again, only, this time it was different. It was a special flavour just for the new knife Stiles had thrown at him. There was no anger in his features- only defeat.

"Oh don't look so surprised!" Why were his lips still moving? Why was he still talking? He tried to bite down on them, to force himself to shut up but the demon wasn't having it "I haven't seen you for longer than ten minutes in _days_! I know your job is important to you, I understand but just stop acting like you care"

"Stiles, _please_..." Stiles squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the voice and his father's face as the lump in his throat seemed to double in size. Only, his eyes were still plastered open and the demon kept them that way. He watched every emotion, every piece of hurt and disappointment flickering across his father's face. The disappointment was the worst. Later, he would curl up into a ball and spend hours trying to forget it. He could take the anger but knowing that he'd let his father down once again after he tried so hard – it couldn't get any worse.

"_I'm _the kid Dad-_you're_ supposed to be looking after _me_"

But of course it could. The demon just loved to remind him of that.

He knew and the demon knew that there was nothing more left to say and that the Sheriff wouldn't try to stop them anymore. He felt his legs carry him back to the jeep still waiting outside, without looking back. A smug smile played across his lips and Stiles was hit with the sudden image of his father passed out on the living room floor, clutching a broken glass in his bleeding hand while the floor around him was littered with empty bottles.

_It's all your fault, Stiles._

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**A/N: **So last night I realized that I had forgotten to enable messages on my Tumblr *face palm* but that has been fixed!

Anyway, how did you find it? Don't forget to leave a review :)


	5. Twice Shy

**A/N: **HOW DID YOU FIND THE FINALE? DID YOU ALL MAKE IT OUT ALIVE? Here is Chapter 5 and unfortunately it is not all rainbows and lollipops but it is Sterek and it is longer! Also, I'm sorry for the depressing-ness of this fic. It might get better but it will have to get worse first! Love you all! ~A

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**'Chapter 5: Twice Shy'**

"Honey, I'm home!" the chillingly happy voice echoed through the empty house, pulling Derek from his stupor. He wasn't asleep. No. Every time he would start to drift off he would remember the smell, the touch, _the taste _and then the self loathing and disgust would bring him right back again. At some point after the demon had left with Stiles' body, he had resigned himself to the fact that there would be no forgetting and there definitely would be no sleeping.

A part of him didn't want to forget. Stiles' lips, tongue and teeth tracing patterns over his bare chest, the sounds, the _moans _the boy had made when Derek opened up and the kiss had deepened, the way he called out Derek's name and just the way he felt in Derek's arms. A part of him wanted to remember all of it because he would never get it again, or maybe it was just because he liked to torture himself with the memories like he did every time he thought about his family.

Another part was berating him, yelling until his head throbbed. It was telling him exactly how sick he was and that it was the demon, not Stiles. Never Stiles. He was not only sick, he was deluded as well. He owed it to Stiles to get the demon out because after all it _was _his fault. He had literally hung a neon sign over the boy's head that said 'Property of Derek Hale. Do not touch' in fact if he had done that maybe Stiles would have rejected him and they could carry on from where they had left off. Hating each other was what they did best after all.

He should just forget this ever happened and let the boy fix his own life because he was sure years of therapy wouldn't be able to heal the scars the demon had left. He would be there to help if he was asked to of course. He would always be there, but Stiles didn't deserve to be dumped with this as well. He didn't know how the boy would react if he ever found out. He would probably just play along out of sheer guilt and pity.

"I brought us some new toys!" he appeared in the doorway with a smile on his pretty face. He had a large bag in one hand and a bowl in the other. It was a white ceramic dog bowl with 'Scott' written across it in large black letters and Derek just stared at it in disbelief. The demon must have noticed him because he chuckled "Sorry, I was in a rush so I couldn't get you one of your own. I figured Scott wouldn't mind. Are you thirsty?"

Derek didn't answer. He had been chained to the kitchen all day, the tap just out of reach so that he had rubbed his wrists raw trying to stretch for a drink. Of course he was thirsty! "Thought so" said the demon with a quick smile as he dropped the bag and busied himself with filling the bowl.

Derek knew all of Stiles' smiles. He knew the quick ones and the ones that almost swallowed his face. He knew the smug one and the fake one he put on when something was wrong but he didn't want to talk about it. He knew the one Stiles wore when he was genuinely happy and the bashful but proud one he wore when Derek gave him a compliment. Then there was that other one, the special one he wore when Derek had said something that appealed to his ridiculous sense of humour. He missed those smiles more and more every second he spent in the demon's presence because none of the smiles he had received from that _thing _were even close to Stiles'.

"Now be a good dog and drink it up, quick" the bowl was placed on the ground and kicked towards him, a little water splashing out and seeping into the wood. Derek glared but picked it up anyway "I had an interesting run in with the Sheriff just now and I must say, he wasn't too keen on his son hanging out with an ex-suspect" Derek twitched but covered it as he drank "I wonder what he would do when he finds out what _else_ you two have been up to" he was being baited, he knew it. He would not respond though. He was good at not responding "You're awfully quiet there Mr Sour Wolf, quite the bore in fact. I wonder what Stiles ever saw in you, I mean the girl, the pretty redhead, _her _I understand. She had..._spunk, _but you? You're just all brood and leather and well maybe it's the abs. I am quite fond of those..."

"What do you want?" asked Derek, finally setting the bowl down "We don't know anything about the apocalypse and you know that. Why are you still here?"

"Not one for patience, are you Big Bad?" it fiddled with the bag it had brought in before straightening up "truth is Derek, I like this place and I like this little meat suit. In fact I think I'll be sticking around. I mean..." he shrugged Stiles' shoulders and ran a hand through his short hair "he isn't my usual type but I never knew a body this _good, _this _compassionate _could actually be so fun to play with. Although I must say, all of you have really underestimated this kid. He has potential, just so much _potential _if only he wasn't so lonely all the time and his mind! It twists in so many delightful ways. There are some corners that would make any demon proud. Some of the things that go on up here...you'd have to see it to believe it"

Derek didn't know what to make of that. The idea that Stiles, always there to help Stiles, the one that Derek could turn to knowing that he wouldn't be tossed away could have thoughts as malicious as this demon was making them out to be. He knew the boy was no saint, he wasn't stupid but there was just something..._good_ about him. Everyone had parts of their mind that they kept buried; hell Derek had a lot of those parts himself! Yet Stiles was...different? No that wasn't right. Maybe it was because Stiles was human. Derek had been born a werewolf and having grown up around the humans he had considered them _better. _Weaker but _better. _Stiles was vulnerable but he had never felt the anger that tore at Derek everyday as the wolf struggled to break free. He wasn't ruled by the primal instinct to rip and tear and kill. He had a future, a life that he could look forward to away from the werewolves and that just made this situation a whole lot worse.

"Take me" Derek replied calmly "Leave him. He's...weak. If you took me, you could be so much stronger"

"Did you not hear a thing that I said, wolf?" the demon smiled sadly, almost pitifully at Derek but that wasn't possible because the thing didn't have feelings "This kid, I _like _him and believe it or not he is a lot stronger than you'll ever be. Thanks for the offer but you'll have to do a lot better than that if you want me to budge"

"What do you want?" Derek said through his teeth.

"A soul" his eyes gleamed mischievously "_Your _soul"

"Take it and leave"

The demon ignored him. "Oh, I almost forgot!" he cried out all of a sudden, reaching into the bag and pulling out a crumpled piece of paper "It's a present for you! I found it under Stiles' bed" Derek couldn't see what it was from his place on the floor but he didn't have to because apparently the demon was going to read it aloud "It's a note from Stiles, dated 7 May so not too long ago" 7 May, Derek remembered that day. He had spent it running deep into the woods, scaring away the deer and anything else that bothered to cross his path. Then when he couldn't run anymore he had just sunk down against a tree and stayed there till nightfall. "'_Derek, I know I'm probably the last person you want to see right now. I know I always talk too much and you hate me but I just thought that maybe- Look I just wanted to pay my respects okay? I... brought flowers and I mean I totally get it if you want to rip my throat out and everything but I- if you need to talk or just glare at someone, I'll leave my window open. - Stiles who will probably never give this to you because he is a stupid wimp Stilinski'_"

It was the seventh anniversary of the fire. He remembered returning home the next morning to find the place smelling slightly of Stiles. He had written it off as another one of his delusions because it was a school day and why would Stiles visit him in the middle of the night? That was Derek's job. Of course he had been wrong. He was always wrong.

Suddenly Derek felt an overwhelming surge of anger-towards the kid and the demon but mostly towards himself. This wasn't going to plan. If only the demon had possessed _him. _Stiles wouldn't be here. He would have been at home in front of his computer, researching like he always did when something new came to town. He would have figured out how to get the demon out by now and they could have moved on.

"So I'm guessing this was for the anniversary of the fire" the demon tilted his head to the side and brought a hand to Derek's chin, forcing him to look up "I'm really sorry your family was burned to a crisp before your sister was brutally murdered and you had to kill your own uncle. Your soul is just as broken as you are, I'm afraid I'd rather cut my arm off and eat it than trade with you. Oh wait, it's not my arm! It's Stiles'!" he smiled again. He seemed to do a lot of that. Stiles used to do a lot of that. Sometimes the similarities were uncanny. "So let's move on, shall we? I think the cuffs can come off now but remember Broody, if you hurt me you hurt Stiles and if you run, I can always stab him. Make no mistake, I like the kid but I will not hesitate to kill him"

The demon didn't wait for an answer. He had brought the keys to the handcuffs and easily twisted them off along with the chains that bound the werewolf. Derek stood up, feeling his muscles cry out as he finally stretched.

"Shirt off" called Stiles' voice from behind him but Derek just ignored him "I don't think I made myself clear before. Shirt off or the knife goes in"

Startled, Derek turned around to find that it was clutching a knife in its hands and the blade was pointed directly at Stiles' stomach. Derek growled slightly but took his shirt off, almost ripping it in the process. It hadn't fit because the demon had thrown the first thing he found at Derek that morning saying he didn't want the alpha to freeze to death before leaving for school.

"Better" smirked the demon as it looked him over "Stiles approves" he moved closer, reaching up to whisper in Derek's ear with the knife still positioned between them "Now kiss me"

When Derek stood rigidly and made no attempt to move he just sighed "Well if you want to do it the hard way" he found the back of Derek's neck, one hand curling into his hair and pulled him forward. Derek closed his eyes and waited as the lips worked and the tongue tried to push in. He waited and he waited and he tried to think of anything but what was happening. He wouldn't do that again. He wouldn't force himself on Stiles. Once was bad enough and he would hate himself for it, but doing it a second time...

When the demon had had enough he felt the hand withdraw. It pulled back and watched him with its black eyes. "Not having fun, are we? Don't worry Stiles will understand. He's only ever been rejected _all his life_"Derek let out a small sigh of relief as it went back to rummaging through the bag. If he could do it once, he could do it again. The demon had just...caught him off guard that first time. Maybe he would survive this after all. Maybe if he didn't play along, it would get bored of him and leave.

This plan evaporated just as fast as it had set in when he saw what the demon pulled out next.

It was a fear brought on by instinct. The wolf inside of him cringed away. Even if his entire family hadn't been burnt alive in their home, he would have been wary. He hated fire and when he saw the wood and matches he felt his earlier resolve start to waver. He felt his heart start to beat faster and his eyes widened but he focused on breathing, like the councillor woman had told him to do after he had punched that kid in the face for talking about his family back in high school.

"Bring back any memories?" asked Stiles- _no _it was the demon, not Stiles. Stiles wanted to pay his respects. Stiles had brought flowers for his family. Stiles had offered to stay, to _talk _to Derek when everyone else had been too frightened to ever bring it up. He didn't know how he would have reacted if he had been home when Stiles had paid him the visit. Maybe they would have sat there in silence while Derek glared at the wall and Stiles fiddled with his hands (he never could sit still), maybe he would have finally broken down and told Stiles everything about his family that he had kept in for so long or maybe he would have lost control and taken out his pent up rage on the boy.

The demon moved towards him, clasping the burning splint in its hand as it smiled cheekily. "Funny how things work out" it said with a chuckle "Stiles brought flowers for your family but I'm going to take you straight to them. Although I must say, the afterlife down under isn't what it's been made out to be, especially for monsters like you. No, it's a lot-"

Derek wasn't paying attention to the words anymore. The red film had appeared over his eyes, tinting his vision and he could feel his nails lengthening. He watched the burning wood as it inched closer and closer. He could hear the screams of his family and the smell. When he and Laura had returned home from school that day it was the smell that he remembered. He had blocked everything else out but the smell of burnt wood and _flesh. _It was something that would never go away and he hated his werewolf senses for it.

"The kid told me a lot about you Derek" it sneered "not _willingly _of course but I have my ways. It wasn't long before I realised exactly what the big bad alpha was afraid of. I'm sorry I couldn't take your family away, but I took Stiles instead and now I think I'll take your life"

Stiles' twisted, manic grin was the last thing Derek saw before he shut his eyes. He could feel the dampness of his face and his arms wouldn't stop shaking. He tried to breathe but the smell of fire and smoke was nauseating.

"Stiles, _please_" the voice was unrecognizable. It was broken and weak and everything that Derek had tried to hide. He wasn't even sure if he had said it out loud but he was too far gone to hate himself for it.

"_Derek, run!_"

It was the same voice that had been goading him all day but it was different. It wasn't sneering and it wasn't filled with hatred. No, if anything it was filled with desperation and it pulled Derek right back out of his daze.

He whipped his head up, just in time to see Stiles clutching at the counter top with his eyes shut. His features were twisted in pain and he was letting out short sobs.

"_Go" _he yelled again. His eyes flashed black for a second and he shuddered but soon they returned to the familiar brown. Derek stared. "_Just leave you stupid son-of-a-bitch! Run!"_

He wanted to leave so badly. He wanted to leave this house and never have to face the demons that it held. He wanted to leave and never come back but that would mean leaving Stiles to the demon's mercy. He understood now that it was Stiles in charge and he had to stay and help.

"_Derek I swear..."_ whispered Stiles and suddenly he was waving the still burning piece of wood. The fire was dancing through the air straight towards him, guided by the stick clutched firmly in Stiles' arm. _Stiles' _hand. Not the demon, _Stiles. _ "_Go before I _really _burn you"_

That was when he ran. He staggered backwards and ran. He wouldn't have turned back either but despite it all he just wanted one more look at Stiles' face. Stiles' _real _face. Derek glanced back and wished he had just let the demon burn him. It had Stiles' hand clutching the almost completely blackened wood while the remaining flames jumped up at pale bare flesh. Stiles' face had gone red and he was screaming but the hand wouldn't budge and that was the last Derek saw of him before he _really _ran.

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**A/N: **Please don't hate Derek for running. He had his reasons right? What do did you think? I would really appreciate suggestions on where you would like their relationship to go/ where you see it going. Thanks again for being amazing readers! I promise the next one will be up soon.


	6. Bullet

**A/N: **Its Teen Wolf day but there is no Teen Wolf so I thought I would update instead. Apologies for the length. I don't know, I really didn't like this one but I rewrote it about 5 times and it became worse every time so... yeah. Thanks to all of you who have been reading and for the lovely reviewers! You inspire me!

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**Chapter 6: 'Bullet'**

The lights were on inside and he could see the silhouette of the mother in the kitchen. The house smelt different. Even in the state he was in it was easy to pick up until the smell of alcohol wafting off his own breath blocked everything else out.

Werewolves couldn't get drunk the conventional way. It took two bottles of the strongest Beacon Hills had to offer and Derek was still on little more than a light buzz. It was however, enough to fuel the semi-drunken escapade that left him swaying up the dark driveway with bottle three clutched in his hand.

He didn't know what exactly he was doing there or what he planned to say. In fact, it was highly likely that the Argents wouldn't listen to him anyway. They would probably just put a bullet through his heart as soon as they opened the front door. Derek found that he didn't really mind, as long as they helped Stiles afterward. He would gladly take the bullet. In fact he would have gladly put the bullet there himself if it meant erasing the memory. The image of the fire leaping up the pale arm was burnt into his retinas and the scream played over and over again until it filled his ears with a constant ringing that he couldn't seem to shake. It should have been Derek. Derek was supposed to be the _strong _one. Derek was the one with the bulging muscles and the will of iron. Derek was the one protected by sheer anger. Yet it was Stiles who had been burnt. It was Stiles who had paid because Derek was weak.

This was a new low, having to trust the hunters and Derek hated every bit of it. He remembered the rage black outs he used to get when he was younger and this felt like the beginning of another one. The hate and the anger filled him up until he didn't need the alcohol to function any more.

He hated the demon, he hated the helplessness that came with watching it use Stiles' body, and he hated how it was becoming harder to separate it from the boy inside. He hated that no matter how hard he tried he couldn't forget the feel of Stiles' body pressed up against his and the taste of Stiles' lips as they moved with hunger he didn't know the boy could possess. He hated _Stiles _for making him feel anything at all because it had been so much easier when it was just him against the world- at least that was what he told himself when he wasn't faced with the boy's smile, the _real_smile that the demon could never imitate. Hating the world and hating himself was so much harder when that smile was around.

The bottle in his hand was empty and he sent it flying at the side of the house. There was a thud and then the sound of glass shattering. Good. Now if only the world could do the same. The shards had found their way back to the driveway, some stabbing at his bare feet, but Derek ignored them.

Light spilled out and from the corner of his eye he saw the mother's eyes widen as she peered through the gap in the curtain. Now he just had to wait.

Sure enough the click of a crossbow being loaded followed not long after. So it was going to be an arrow not a bullet, he thought. He raised his hands in a gesture of peace, knowing that it would be ignored until after the wolfsbane coated arrow was lodged firmly in werewolf flesh. They would question him then.

The arrow was released and he could hear it tearing through the air before it slammed into his stomach and sent him crashing into the bushes that lined the Argent's path. Only, that wasn't right. An arrow couldn't send a grown alpha flying like that. Where was the blood? He couldn't feel the fire running through his veins as the wolfsbane worked its way through his body. He couldn't feel anything.

"Run!" yelled a voice before the arrows rained down on them and bits of dirt began to fly. An arm grabbed him around the waist and dragged him behind the Argents' SUV but he couldn't see who it was because the street lights started to blur and widen until everything was white and silent. Too silent.

The noise was back in an instant accompanied by a sharp stinging in his cheek. Scott's eyes were glowing gold and his lips were moving as he tried to yell something at him. Derek barely managed to register the fact that the boy was alive before Scott raised his fingers. 1, 2, 3, and they were off, ducking and weaving through the bushes and down the driveway, Derek barely managed to jump the fence before they were hurtling down the road. They didn't stop until they reached a small park and even then, not until Scott had sniffed the air for a good couple of minutes to make sure they were alone.

"Are you _trying _to get yourself killed?" he demanded, leaving the alpha slumped on the damp grass "You know what? I don't care about your stupid suicide mission. Are you trying to get _Stiles _killed?"

"No, you-" Derek began, anger rising and gratitude forgotten "I don't know how to get it out but they're_ hunters_. I can't help, but _they can_! They have to! They're supposed to protect the humans and Stiles-" he let out a growl of frustration, trying to make the boy understand.

Scott sighed "They won't help you. You do know that right? They help humans and if that thing carries on…you know what they will say. The town is in danger and if killing Stiles will stop it…"

Derek growled again at his own stupidity this time. Even _Scott _understood the hunters better than he did. Of course they would have killed him. _For the greater good_, they would have said. _Stiles would have wanted this. Just let him go_, like Derek was some kind of selfish child clinging desperately to a hopeless cause. They were all self-righteous hypocrites and he had almost sentenced Stiles to death. _Again_.

"Look I know you hate him but he's my best friend and I-we both owe him our lives" Scott continued, completely misinterpreting Derek's frustration "You want me in your pack? I'll join you- but only if we save him" he took a deep breath "I won't let you kill him-you _or _the Argents" his jaw was set firmly and his eyes glowed again. Derek just wanted to punch him right in the face.

"Of course we're saving him!" he told the boy roughly. He picked himself up off the ground so that he could look down on Scott, "Stiles is…pack" the words felt strange coming out of his mouth but he realised that they were true.

When he found out that he was no longer the only werewolf in town, that he finally could have someone else around who _understood, _it was-there was no word for the feeling. Sure, Scott wasn't the first person he would have chosen as a companion but he was loyal and Derek owed him quite a bit.

Ever since he had become alpha Scott had made a point of ignoring him. He had refused to end things with Allison and Derek had been alone again but this time Stiles had been there. A few chance run-ins had led to… _something_ that Derek couldn't quite name but it was there and it had crept up on him slowly. It was a friendship of sorts but it was also more than that. Derek hated talking and Stiles was only too happy to fill in the silence until hours passed by without either of them knowing it.

Scott was too busy sneaking around with Allison and Stiles was left with nothing but his jeep and the curly fries he often brought over to the Hale house. It might have just been a way to pass time for Stiles, he was like every other bored teenager looking for company, but to Derek it was a way to fill the void that so many people had left in his life. He liked to think that he enjoyed the silence and the solitude- that he _liked _having time where he could just _think, _but he was just lying to himself. Thinking was the last thing he wanted to do, so he let Stiles in and at some point Stiles had become pack.

The other werewolf was surprised by the alpha's words but seemed to be taking it in his stride. "Good" he said, taking a step back "I can talk to Allison, she could get the bestiary. We should try to lock him down first though…before he can hurt anyone else…" he trailed off when he saw the alpha's bared teeth "What?"

"_It, _before _it _can hurt anyone else" growled Derek, not knowing why it made him so angry "We're talking about the demon, not Stiles"

Scott raised an eyebrow but again decided not to comment "We need a meeting" he said "A pack meeting and then we need to research. I'll get the others and we can meet at your place in an hour"

Derek nodded. That seemed logical which was strange because Scott wasn't usually one for logic or tactics. He looked closer and for the first time he noticed a flicker of desperation in the other wolf's eyes. Scott was taking this just as badly as Derek was. Maybe Derek wasn't _completely _alone again. He had a pack.

As the other boy turned to leave, Derek stopped him. "Scott" the boy turned around looking confused "Remember, _I'm _the alpha. We are doing this my way"

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**A/N: **In dire need of feedback! Be honest, how bad was it?


	7. Pack

**A/N: **Behold the shortest chapter I have ever written. Apologies for the late. Unfortunately exams are coming up which means posting will probably happen once a week. I agree with all the reviews and thank you for sticking with this story! Next chapter will be longer I promise!

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'**Chapter 7: Pack'**

"He attacked Lydia!" Jackson yelled and the sofa groaned as he leapt up "McCall, your _friend _attacked Lydia and you want to _save _him?" He glared furiously around at the others who were staring up at him, willing them to challenge him. He didn't notice Scott was on his feet as well until the boy was inches away.

"What if it was one of your friends?" the werewolf demanded, eyes glowing with barely suppressed rage "What if it was _Danny _being possessed? Would you be ready to kill him?"

"McCall, don't you dare!" said Jackson through clenched teeth. He hadn't fully turned yet so there was no doubt who would win if the fists started flying but the boy looked like he would take a swing at Scott anyway. Jackson was starting to get on his nerves and Derek was running out of reasons why he shouldn't just let Scott rip him to shreds. Every second they wasted arguing, the demon could be doing God knows what to Stiles "He could have killed her...and you! Hell he could have killed Derek and done his nails at the same time. He's dangerous!"

"That was not Stiles" Scott growled, grabbing Jackson by the collar and shoving him back "That was the demon! Stiles would never do that! Stiles loved Lydia. He looked out for her after _you _dumped her just so you could become what? A _monster _every full moon?" His body was literally shaking with fury and Derek could hear his heart pounding "Lydia!" he called to the girl who was sitting by the door. She sighed, looking between the two boys like _she _would be the one bashing their heads together soon. She was exceptionally calm for someone who had just learnt that her hometown was overrun with werewolves and now a demon too. Derek couldn't help admiring the girl "Tell him! Tell him about that time Stiles found you crying by the bleachers after practise. Tell him how much Stiles who you ignored for _years _cared more than your stupid boyfriend" From the corner of his eye he could see Jackson getting ready to pounce and he knew that it had gone too far. What had possessed him to find a pack of hormone driven teenagers he would never know although if truth be told _they_ had run into _him_ the night Scott and Stiles decided to go trekking in the woods alone at night. He stepped forward ready to pull the betas apart if need be, but it was Allison who spoke up.

"Scott..." she said softly but there was firmness to it that immediately drew everyone's attention. He saw the other werewolf taking long, deep breaths as the claws started to shrink back as half-turned towards his girlfriend "Scott, we need a... a backup plan" she told him calmly and just like that Scott's heart picked up again. He growled as the fur sprouted and he spun around with bared teeth. Derek could feel his own hands quivering with anger at just the _thought _of someone hurting Stiles which was stupid because Stiles was hurting anyway and it was _his_ fault. He wanted to protest but thought better of it. This was Scott's place and Derek really did not want to get involved.

"Backup!" growled Scott in disbelief. Derek had never seen him so angry before. There was that strange satisfaction again in seeing his beta's reaction. It was a sense of belonging and gratitude. He could trust Scott. Scott would never hurt Stiles. Derek wasn't alone. "We don't need a backup! We save him and that's it! No backup plan!" he turned to Derek with his eyes still flashing but he was pleading now "Derek?" he asked for confirmation and the alpha's heart sank.

Alpha. He was the alpha now and that came with responsibilities. He had a pack to protect- to look after. They trusted him. What was the point of killing Peter if Derek was just going to do the same thing? What was the point if Derek was just going to let his feelings get in the way? Sure Peter had done it as revenge for the death of their family but Derek would be doing it because he didn't want to lose the one person he had finally grown to trust after _years. _It was just as selfish and he couldn't let it happen. It was Stiles or the town-_the pack. _Scott didn't understand. He was still young and Derek often forgot that he was new to lycanthropy. He didn't know what _pack _meant. He had never been part of a pack. Derek had grown up a werewolf but Scott was still new. Pack was what was best for _everyone_ and if it ever came down to Stiles or the pack? He would have to make that choice. Scott would never forgive him, in fact _he _would never forgive _himself, _but it wasn't just about the two of them anymore.

"If he tries to _kill _anyone else, we shoot him" he found himself saying, carefully avoiding Scott's eyes and focusing on the others instead "But _only _if he goes for the kill"

Scott snorted, muttering "I knew I shouldn't have trusted you" under his breath as he made for the door but Allison stopped him. She grabbed his arm and pulled him down onto the couch beside her despite his protests.

They huddled there together, a tangle of limbs and whispered promises. Scott occasionally growled and he was still muttering furiously to himself while Allison cooed on about "We will try our best to protect him, you know that" and "It'll be alright" until she had coaxed him to calm down. He sat there with Allison's arm around him, still looking hurt but the anger was starting to fade to be replaced by determination.

Derek looked away, trying not to think about how much he needed someone to hold _him _and tell _him _that it would be alright. He tried not to think about how much he wished that that _someone_ was Stiles. Of course that brought on a rush of memories where Stiles' hands ran across his bare skin even as he tried to remember that it was the _demon _doing it. He tried not to feel his neck prickle as Stiles whispered against his neck, _it will work out in the end_, _just_ _trust me this once_

"Listen up!" he growled, trying to chase the thoughts away "We have no idea what it wants or how to get it out without hurting Stiles" They were all watching him closely even Jackson who had a slight smile playing across his lips after watching Scott's breakdown "Not yet at least. Allison, get a hold of the bestiary and find anything you can about demons or the apocalypse. Lydia, Scott, you two can look through Stiles' computer and his books as well. He might have known something. I'll track it down and...restrain it till we can get rid of it" they nodded, exchanging hopeful looks that Derek only wished he could return "and Jackson? You can go home and stay there until we deal with this.

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**A/N: **I hope you liked it! I wrote this bit before the finale and then Jackson became a werewolf and feels! Looking forward to writing more of him. Also for Allison's part, really sorry if I got her wrong, I'm still unsure exactly how to write her. I wanted to do a really BAMF scene with her and the demon and maybe Chris but it didn't fit in anywhere so maybe if inspiration strikes i'll make it a one-shot type thing later.

Anyway, please let me know what you think about the chapter as well as on the whole what is/isn't working. Again, apologies for length and delay!


	8. Revelation

**A/N: **So sorry for the wait but 1/6 exams are complete! Different POV this time around I really hope you like it and thank you again for sticking with this story!

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'**Chapter 8: Revelation'**

The room was a mess. There were clothes strewn haphazardly on the floor, by the desk and even what looked like the remnants of Stiles' favourite Batman t-shirt hanging on the windowsill. Then there were the books. They were scattered across the bed with pages of printed notes and broken pens among them. However the smell was the worst. It smelt like a mixture of rotten meat and sulphur... and blood. It barely smelt of Stiles.

They didn't have much time. Scott knew the sound of Stiles' jeep better than he knew the sound of his own alarm clock and it would give them a couple of minute's head start but that wouldn't be enough. They had to be in and out long before the jeep turned into the street.

"Is it always like this?" asked Lydia, wrinkling her nose as she looked around "Stiles didn't seem like the type to..."

"No" Scott shifted through the pile on the bed while the girl started up the computer "It's the demon. The demon did this"

He couldn't understand any of the books. They all seemed old and most of the pages were torn but he flipped through them just in case. What were they even looking for? Derek hadn't mentioned anything specific and he hated just _being _in this room. He should have been with his alpha, doing something that would actually _help _his best friend instead of just sitting here.

"Are you even reading that?" Lydia asked frustrated by the constant turn of pages "You know what? I'll look through the books. You can take the laptop or something" She carefully perched on the end of the bed and started sorting through the books tsking to herself as she worked.

Scott walked over to the desk where the laptop sat, asking for a password. He ignored it. Stiles would never keep anything on there. If it was important he would have printed it out, that's just what he did. He would print it out and put it...where?

He was no stranger to this room. Even before he had become a werewolf (more so in fact) he would spend most of the time he wasn't at home here. Unlike Stiles who climbed through the window of Scott's room even though he had a key, he used the front door because the Sheriff usually worked late giving Stiles free reign of the house. Yet now it felt different, like everything had been moved six inches to the left so that he couldn't help but bump into edges that he had long since learnt to avoid. When was the last time he had been here? He couldn't remember.

He dug under the rug in the far corner, pulling it back to reveal the floorboards. They had watched so many movies when they were younger that when they couldn't find a loose floorboard they had proceeded to make one. The result was a splintery mess which the Sheriff had thankfully not found yet. He slid his hand under and felt around only to find an old rock and a piece of paper that read 'To Lydia' in Stiles' best nine-year-old hand writing.

He let out a groan of frustration before heading to the chest of drawers, digging through a collection of broken old knick knacks that the boy refused to throw out. His clothes had already been sifted through, apparently the demon did not appreciate Stiles' usual style but Scott went through them again anyway. He shook them out and checked the pockets, giving up halfway when he found a black jacket made of leather that seemed to have been worn to pieces. Scott didn't remember Stiles owning anything like it. Puzzled, he brought it up to his nose and took a deep breath. It smelt of the woods and animal and Derek. Every inch of the leather smelt of Derek but Stiles must have tried it on a few times because his scent hung over it as well. It was a strange combination. Sure Scott had been in the same room as Stiles and Derek plenty of times. He knew their smells almost as well as he knew Allison's, but the jacket, their smells mingling like that was..._different._ Scott didn't have much time to dwell on it or even question what it was doing there because there was something wrapped in the jacket. Something he recognized.

The glove was small, there was no way Scott could fit into it but just looking at it made him smile. He knew he had a matching one in his own room somewhere although his had a large hole from when he'd attempted to catch one of Jackson's hardest throws. When they were younger, before lacrosse had become the sport of Beacon Hills, Scott and Stiles had tried their hands at baseball. It was a short-lived stint but Scott remembered it well. It was before Stiles' father was the Sheriff, back when his mom was still alive. His own mother, even then, used to try her best to come to the games but usually it just wasn't possible. Stiles' father used to take them to the games then. He had only ever missed one. He was always there, cheering for his son-his _sons, _since Scott had already received his own cupboard at the Stilinski household by that time.

After each game they'd have a picnic on the field when it was sunny or in the car if it decided to rain. Stiles would babble excitedly about the game, barely managing two bites in between the constant stream of words while Scott exchanged knowing looks with Mrs Stilinski. When the food was gone and no one, not even Stiles could talk anymore, Officer Stilinski- that was what he was known as back then- would lean over to kiss his wife and tell the boys how proud of them he was before returning to his patrol car. The boys would go to the park then and stay there till evening.

Stiles had played one game after his mom was hospitalised. The Sheriff wasn't there. Stiles had quit the next day and Scott had followed not long after.

He threw the glove back, trying to shake away the memories. They had been happy then but at some point something had been broken and everything had changed. Scott had a niggling feeling that it was all his fault.

"You miss him don't you?" a voice asked from behind him. He'd almost forgotten Lydia was there but she was watching him carefully from where she sat on the bed. "It's not your fault you know. I mean you weren't exactly an outstanding friend but this... demonic possession wasn't your fault"

"Have you found anything yet?" Scott knew she would see right through it but he wasn't exactly in the mood to talk.

"No" Lydia sighed "but I know what I'm looking for. I don't think I told you but the other day in the school when Stiles-" she pursed her lips "when _the demon _had me, right before I escaped I tried something. I didn't know if it would work, it was just something I'd found in an old Latin book but it must have been an exorcism because the demon started choking and the black smoke started coming out of Stiles' mouth..."

"You choked _Stiles_!" gaped Scott

"No it was the demon" she was getting frustrated and her breathing was faster "It looked like it was being drawn out or something. Of course I wasn't really paying attention to the book because demons? Who would have guessed that demons were real? I just need to find it again"

"You could always search it up online" he pointed out, wondering why the girl was bothering with the books. He personally hated the things. It was so hard to find _anything _in books.

Lydia just gave him a look that told him know exactly what she thought of that idea "I'm sure I lent that book to Stiles" she started on the papers next, scanning through the notes "he came to me a couple of weeks ago asking about it and I-"

"Wait, Stiles _talked _to you?" Scott furrowed his brow "like and actual conversation?"

"Unlike you, your friend isn't physically incapable of intelligent conversation Scott" she told him, ignoring his glare "He was asking questions and I-"

"So he _did _know something" of course he did, Stiles saw everything before it actually happened. Why did he not tell anyone? Why did he not tell _Scott_? They were still best friends right? Scott told _him _everything. Everything going on with Allison and class and in return Stiles... listened. He had been doing a lot of that lately now that Scott looked back on it. Just listened and smiled and groaned at the right times. He hadn't said a word about the conversation with Lydia. Stiles should have been buzzing about it, repeating every word over and over again. For a second he wondered what his best friend would do if he found out Lydia Martin was in his room. He frowned when he realized he didn't actually have an answer to that.

It was Lydia who told him to check the bookshelf.

"Go look for a small book" she said "it should have a leather cover with gold writing that you probably won't be able to read"

Scott sighed, too tired to protest. Besides, he had looked everywhere. Apparently whatever Stiles was hiding wasn't here. Maybe the demon had it. That was most likely the case. He tried not to think about exactly how the demon had gotten the information out of Stiles as he moved towards the shelf.

He scanned the covers so quickly that he almost missed it, but his eyes fell over Stiles' old out copy of 'Where the Wild Things are' only to land on the small book that looked like it was hiding behind it.

"I found it" he called taking them both out. He tilted the worn out leather book and tried to read the strange writing on the front but instead of letters there were only strange symbols that he couldn't understand. He tossed the book onto the bed, earning himself a glare that he shrugged off, settling himself down on Stiles' desk chair so he could flip through the picture book.

Stiles had loved it. He used to carry it around with him everywhere he went, always tucked under his arm and after his mother had passed away, the book had taken up residence by his bed. Scott used to wonder how the boy could read the same pages over and over again so many times. There were other books, sure. Stiles had loved books. He used to talk about them all the time, trying to explain to Scott how magical the worlds he had visited were. How he had been kidnapped by a giant or fought dragons to rescue a Princess- _Lydia_ he had named her_, _but it was this book that he always came back to. He had even read it to Scott a few times and as Scott flipped through the pages now he smiled, remembering the way Stiles used to wave his arms around as he acted the story out for emphasis.

Scott had never thought about it that way before but he saw it now. Stiles was Max. He ran around with Wild Things all day but the only difference was he never said goodbye. Not even when there was a nice hot dinner waiting at home for him. He stayed till the end.

He was just shutting the book when something fell out. It was a picture. He recognized where it had been taken immediately. There was only one lake on the Hale property and Scott had been there often enough, usually accompanied by Allison and a picnic basket. It was nestled in the woods and the trees surrounding it were a stunning array of yellows, oranges and reds while the water itself was a dancing blue that pulled you in. However it wasn't the setting that caught his eye. It was the person in the photo. He was pretty sure it was Derek but he had to squint to make sure because the alpha looked completely different. The jet black hair and the stubbly face was the same. Water droplets hung from every inch of muscle from his shoulders down to his bare torso and the shorts he wore clung to him as he made his way back to shore. What was different was his face.

It wasn't the first time Scott had seen Derek smile. He didn't do it often but there were a few evil alpha smirks every now and then. What he _hadn't _seen was an all out smile of complete joy. One that stretched all the way up his cheeks, revealing white teeth that betrayed none of their usual canine menace. Even his grey blue eyes had little smiles of their own, crinkling around the edges. Scott had no idea that it was even physically possible for the werewolf's face to light up that way- to light up in any way. He had just assumed that Derek scowled so much that he had completely forgotten how to smile at all. Yet here was photographic evidence that Derek Hale could be happy. What it was doing in Stiles' possession was the real question.

He flipped it around and found that Stiles had written something there in his best handwriting. It was so small he had to bring it right up to his eyes to make out the words. 'Not so sour wolf' was all it said.

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**A/N: **So how was it? Please let me know :)


	9. Price

**A/N: **So I really wanted to do something with Jackson and then this happened. Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed the last chapter and hugs to everyone who has read it in fact. Exams are over so depending on inspiration more writing!

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**Chapter 9: 'Price'**

The door opened with a loud screech and the light filtering in from the corridor cast shadows on the walls.

"What do you want?" called Jackson's voice from somewhere between the rows of lockers. The boy often drove out to school in the evenings usually with a friend to do some extra training. It was a habit he had developed when he couldn't stand his parents' constant fussing. His ash colored Porsche was alone in the car park that night though because he had ignored Derek's advice to go home and the demon took that as an invitation. "I know you're there" the boy called again and there was a small thump as he presumably put the weights down.

"Boo!" cried the demon, stepping out of the darkness and into the one light bulb that actually worked. It started to flicker.

"Stilinski" Jackson said, not in the least bit surprised. In fact the boy looked almost _unimpressed_ "What do you want?" he was fiddling with something in his hand and it took a second for the light to catch it. Sure enough, the familiar glint of steel.

"No Jackson, the question is what do _you _want" he pouted "I just came here for a chat and you've already pulled a knife out on me. I've been watching you for a while you know-_all _of you and I must say, you were by far my favourite. It's quite disappointing to be honest"

He lunged at the knife in the boy's hand and twisted it out of his grasp, ignoring the large gash that opened up on his own palm. It was bleeding but he had felt worse. Stiles was yelling in pain and that just made the experience more pleasurable.

Jackson rolled his eyes. The human actually _rolled _his eyes at him even after he had snatched away its only weapon. The demon didn't know if it was stupid or just as arrogant as it seemed through Stiles' memories. "Look Stiles, or whatever you are" he said "I really don't have time for this right now" he reached for a towel that was lying on the bench beside him and turned to leave.

"Uh, no you don't" the demon grabbed the blonde boy's arm, digging into it with Stiles' pathetic human nails. He really needed to do something about those he thought before spinning Jackson around and shoving him roughly into the lockers. "We haven't even started yet! How rude"

The boy straightened up, rolling his shoulders with a wince he tried to cover before turning to face the demon again, scowling this time. "I'm warning you Stilinski. The others want to save you but if you do that again I swear I won't think twice about ripping you apart myself"

"Temper, _temper_" he teased in return "You're not even a werewolf! How do you suppose you're going to go about ripping me apart?" He twirled the knife on the base of his palm, considering breaking skin. The kid had quietened down again and he wasn't sure he liked the silence all too much "Stiles has told me all about you. Jackson Whittemore, captain of the lacrosse team _and _dating the most beautiful girl in Beacon Hills yet you're still a douche. No wonder your parents didn't want you"

"You know _nothing _about my parents!" yelled Jackson, face red with fury as he lunged at Stiles. The demon easily sidestepped and the boy almost careened into the lockers again.

"Actually I know more than you think" he worked Stiles' face into a sad smile "You're strong. I'll give you that. It was going to be either you or the Stilinski kid and well I guess he was just _stronger_" He watched as Jackson's eyes narrowed at the words and couldn't help the smirk that played across his face. Beaten by Stiles Stilinski, that would be hard for his ego to swallow. "Never fear!" he told the boy brightly "I am a demon after all. Being the _kind _and _caring _citizen that I am, I would like to offer you something in exchange for your... comradeship. A gift of sorts."

"Go to hell" Jackson told him but the demon didn't miss the telltale twitch of curiosity.

"Been there done that" the response was almost automatic now "No really. I can give you _anything._ Do you want a new lacrosse stick or something? Or maybe you want Allison? I've seen the way you look at her... it would piss Scott off-unless you're happy with the redhead I mean. I've met her before. She really _is _a looker and sharp too" his face cracked into a wide grin "How silly of me! I know exactly what you want! Your parents- the _real _ones! I can bring them back you know. Both of them"

"What did you mean when you said I wasn't even a werewolf?" asked Jackson cautiously avoiding everything else "I'm in transition. Derek bit me"

"You don't really believe that, do you?" he asked "How long did it take Scott to turn? A couple of hours? A day? It's been weeks Jackson. You're not turning"

Jackson cursed and the demon got the feeling that he had already reached this conclusion long ago. It was easy to see the boy's hunger for power and sometimes he thought he would have been better off if he had chosen Jackson. There would have been resistance to be sure but maybe they could have moved past that. Maybe they could have helped each other, but the fact remained that the boy was weak and unstable and there was something dark growing inside of him that even the demon was wary of. Jackson was a time bomb waiting to explode and when he did he would take down everyone around him. The demon just had to light the match and stand back.

"I could give it you, you know" he told the boy "I could turn you into a werewolf- you could have all the power you wanted. No one, not even Scott or Derek would be able to stop you"

He gave the boy some time to consider that. He could almost see his mind ticking as it ran through the various possibilities. Each emotion flickered across his face before being hidden by the mask of disinterest. Caution, desire, joy and even anger although he couldn't tell who exactly the boy was angry at.

"I will be..._stronger_?" Jackson asked, finally looking up. Of course that was the first question he would ask. He was a teenager after all. There was no thought at all spared to think of the fine print- the _catch_. No notion whatsoever that it was his _soul _that he was selling.

"Of course" smiled the demon "Stronger than any werewolf has ever been and you can build a pack of your own or challenge Derek and you can take the betas of Beacon Hills... you can have _real _fun then!"

"Alright" he said "turn me"

The demon let his eyes flash black and tried to hide the manic smile that was threatening to spread across his face. He didn't want the boy to back out before they got to the fun stuff. He wasn't really an expert at deals. He was no cross road demon, but he had acquaintances and he had learnt a few tricks over the years.

He moved closer to the blonde boy, feeling more than hearing the sharp intake of breath as Jackson backed up in surprise. Apparently their sudden intimacy had just registered and it was making him sweat. He forced Stiles' face into what he hoped was a reassuring smile as he reached a hand up to cup Jackson's cheek, pulling him closer.

"W-What are you doing?" Jackson stumbled over his words. If it had been any other time he would have found this hilarious but he was about to close a deal and the last thing he needed was the boy's ego getting in the way.

"You have to kiss me" he told Jackson, straining to keep the anger out of his voice "That's how you seal a deal. You have to kiss me"

He gritted his teeth as Jackson pulled back "Is this some kind of joke?" the boy demanded and it was all the demon could do to keep from punching him right then and there. There was no way to force a deal. The human had to be willing otherwise it couldn't be done. He punched the nearest locker as hard as his human fist would allow, leaving a large dent in it. Apparently he had underestimated the sheer stupidity of this one.

"You go and sell your soul to a demon and it's kissing _Stiles _that you're worried about?" he ground out, feeling his eyes blacken as he spoke "I thought you were _everyone's _type"

Jackson had completely pulled back by then and was just staring at him in disbelief. "My soul?" he asked, confusedly. "I thought it was a...gift"

"No you conceited fool, of course it wasn't a gift!" He wanted to tear that pretty face apart so badly, not even squeezing his hand around the blade of the knife could stop the urge "I lied! I'm a demon-that is what we _do_" The boss wanted the humans alive he reminded himself before he got too carried away and just hurled the knife at its face. He needed to get out of here "This isn't over Whittemore"

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**A/N: **As usual let me know what you think! Also I was thinking of changing the name of the fic because 'All Hell Breaks Loose' was just a working title so if you have any ideas those would be much appreciated too. Thank you for sticking around lovelies :)


	10. Truth

**A/N: **Hey everyone! Hope you had a lovely day :) I know I said I would update sooner. I cannot give you cookies in apology so I made the chapter longer instead. Love you all and enjoy!

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**Chapter 10: 'Truth'**

Chris had been watching her for a while and he had to admit, his daughter had either realized that werewolves were not to be trusted or she had become extremely good at hiding.

"Allison" he knocked on the door that had been shut since the girl arrived home from school, right on time like they had agreed. She had given him a quick half smile that seemed more sarcastic than sincere before selecting an apple from the fruit bowl and heading upstairs. There was the rustling of pages before the door opened a crack and Allison's face appeared.

"Dad" she said and the dark circles under her eyes told him that she had had another sleepless night. It was time to worry.

"We're going to have to talk at some point you know" he told her, trying to ease the door open fully "might as well get it over with." Normally he would have left these talks to her mother but this time Allison was mad at _him_ and that made it inescapable. Maybe he had crossed a line by pulling the gun out at the kid but it was for the best. Besides a deal was a deal and right now with the wolves acting up, keeping his side of the deal was becoming much harder.

"I told you it was just Lydia!" she cried, holding the door firmly in place "she wanted to know if she could borrow my chemistry notes. She was sick yesterday"

"It's not about Lydia and you know it," Chris sighed when she just raised a questioning eyebrow "Derek Hale threw a bottle at our kitchen window and _Scott_ helped him escape. Now, your mother is telling me that his friend, the Sheriff's son has been acting strange" he tapped his fingers against the wood, growing frustrated by the second as she continued to stare blankly at him "you can't tell me you don't know what's going on. You haven't slept in days, don't think we haven't noticed. Something is up Allison and if you don't tell me what it is... your grandfather is becoming edgy. He took Scott and Derek's little stunt as a personal offense and you and I both know who might get caught in the crossfire"

"Dad I told you" she sounded exasperated, there was no other word for it however she opened the door just a little wider as she spoke "you don't even know for sure it _was _Scott in our yard. You told me yourself that you just caught a glimpse of a werewolf but it could have been anyone. Besides, Scott and I aren't seeing each other so even if there was something wrong with him, Derek or Stiles, I wouldn't know because I'm not allowed to talk to them, remember?"

She was watching him with her eyes dancing in a way he hadn't seen them do in days as she presented the challenge. He ignored it though. There would be time to talk about that later. Right now he needed answers. "Is he a wolf now too Allison?" It made sense. His best friend was a wolf, Jackson... wanted to be a wolf and Derek Hale seemed to always lurk close by the boy. It was only a matter of time before he was offered the bite. If he took it he would become a target and if he spilled so much as a drop of innocent blood... well Chris had already proven that he wasn't above threatening teenagers and if he needed to, he was sure he would be able to pull the trigger. The problem would be the Sheriff. He was a good man who adored his son. An entire wall of his small office was dedicated to the boy's certificates from spelling bees to report cards while another was filled with pictures and artwork. It would probably destroy Sheriff Stilinski but it was inevitable.

"Of course not!" cried Allison and Chris desperately wanted to believe her. The truth was he had no idea if he could anymore and the sooner they started coming up with a battle plan-a course of action just in case-the better. He had no idea where he and Allison had gone off track or when their unbreakable trust had died but there was no time to dwell on that. He contemplated getting Gerard involved. He really didn't want to, however the choices were limited. They would follow the code of course and that meant they needed proof to make sure but it would only be a matter of time before the boy killed someone. It always was.

"Either way we still have training tomorrow" he reminded his daughter "0400. Don't be late"

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Derek could smell the rush of anger and confusion moving towards him before he actually saw the boy. He paused his hunt for stronger chains and waited until sure enough Scott appeared in the doorway, eyes glowing as he stormed forward.

"What the hell is going on between you and Stiles?" he demanded "Why do you want to save him-why do you _care_?" Despite his expression his voice just sounded tragically lost and Derek couldn't find it in him to be angry.

"What happened?" he sighed, freeing the nails that were digging holes into his shirt.

"You hate him!" cried Scott "What happened?"

Stiles hadn't told Scott that they were on friendlier terms although Derek could never understand why. Obviously Scott must have found something but now really wasn't the time to answer questions. They had to get the demon out of Stiles first or nothing else would really matter.

"Scott now really isn't the time" he hoped the werewolf would drop it but he knew otherwise "just trust me on this, okay?" This was why he hated Scott. Derek was Alpha, the other werewolf had to listen and obey, that was just how things worked, but apparently not only was Scott completely clueless he was also the most stubborn werewolf in the history of lycanthropy _and _he had no concept of pack hierarchy whatsoever. Once again he found himself cursing his Uncle's choice in betas. It was frustrating enough having to prepare for a full moon when he should have been sending the demon back to hell. Scott was definitely not helping.

"No" just as predicted the boy wasn't going to back down "I'm part of your pack now so no more secrets. What is going on? I've seen the picture and I've seen your jacket in his room Derek. It even _smells _like you. Both of you, mixed together" he was waving his hands around like Stiles used to do when they were together and Derek was struck by how similar they were right then. Of course they were. They were just two teenage boys in above their heads with the supernatural and the curses. They shouldn't have had to deal with this. If only they hadn't been in the woods that night... but maybe Derek was glad that they had chosen to be in the woods that night. He was tired of being lonely and he hated to admit it but Scott had a point. They were pack now.

"We spent some time together" he said, trying to be as vague as possible "and you know... Stiles...grew on me. Maybe a little too much"

Scott took this in for a second "Is that why the demon came after you?" he asked "because Stiles...grew on you? I mean Allison helped me escape but I'm sure the demon would have been done with me after a couple of hours. Why did it keep you for so long?"

"I'm the alpha" shrugged Derek "and I-Stiles..."

"...grew on you" finished Scott, still unable to comprehend what exactly that meant "It's my fault isn't it? That you and Stiles-that Stiles came to you in the first place" He looked so torn about it that Derek couldn't hold onto the resentment he had felt towards him for hurting Stiles. He understood now. Scott didn't _choose _Allison over his best friend; the boy just hadn't learnt to think about how his actions affected the people around him.

Derek couldn't form a suitable answer though so he just nodded and Scott nodded back, brow furrowed as though in deep thought. It was a strange look on him. Finally he seemed to have come to terms with something.

"Thank you" he said and this time it was Derek who was confused "for...looking out for him. I should have been there but I..." he shook his head "just thanks" he ran a hand through his hair awkwardly before starting as though he had remembered something "Lydia thinks she's found it" he said and Derek didn't know who was more pleased that they had dropped the uncomfortable conversation "She found an exorcism, it's in two parts. One draws the demon out of Stiles' body and the other sends it to hell but the thing is once the demon is out, it can possess someone else. We need a way to contain it so that we can finish the exorcism"

"Where did she find it?" asked Derek warily, he had heard about exorcisms before. There were fake ones planted throughout history that either didn't work or summoned demons instead of sending them back. "How does she know it'll work? If it goes wrong it could- Stiles could get hurt"

"She said she found it in a book from the library" replied Scott and the alpha rolled his eyes "No, listen, Stiles was asking about it a couple of weeks ago and when he, it was like he- we think he knew something"

Did Stiles know something? The demon had told him that the only reason it had picked Stiles was because Derek cared about him but the demon always lied. Was it possible that the boy had found out something before his possession? Something the demon needed...

"He knew what the seal was" he said suddenly because it was the only possible explanation. Trust Stiles to research demonic activity and get himself possessed just when things were starting to calm down. Derek didn't know a lot about the seals or the apocalypse but from what the demon had said he had managed to work out the gist of it. There were over 600 seals that kept Lucifer in his cage and if the demons broke 66 of them the devil walked free. That would be the start of the apocalypse. What exactly the apocalypse entailed he had no idea but as long as the demons fought their battles among themselves and his pack was safe, he really didn't care. He really didn't care how selfish that sounded or how much Stiles would argue if he were privy to those thoughts. He really didn't care because all he wanted was to get Stiles back and be done with it all.

"Do you think he told it?" Scott was full of questions and Derek hated him for it. He didn't have any answers and he hated _that _even more.

"Knowing Stiles he put up a fight" he hoped that wasn't the case. He really hoped that wasn't the case because if Stiles had put up a fight the demon would have had to resort to other means, painful means that made Derek want to growl and whine just thinking about them. Who was Stiles protecting anyway? The world was the answer. The world that hadn't exactly been very kind to Stiles but of course the boy would be hell bent on saving it. That's just what he did. He took things that were broken and he fixed them even if they didn't deserve it, even if they were overgrown, lonely alpha werewolves who had an affinity for yelling and baring teeth instead of having civilized conversations. Derek loved him and hated him for it.

"Yeah" said Scott slowly and apparently he was on the same train of thought because he looked worried as well.

They stood there for a while, awkwardly staring anywhere but at each other as the boy pretended to be deep in thought. Suddenly he jumped as his pocket began to buzz.

"It's Allison" he said, peering intently at the screen "Apparently she managed to get the bestiary and there was a section on demons. There wasn't much, just a few symbols and some text. She's sent it all to Lydia to translate"

Derek nodded. He still didn't approve of Scott's choice in mate but he could put up with it. The girl was useful, even if it was just to keep Scott in line and focused- a feat Derek had been trying to accomplish all year. Scott seemed to appreciate Derek's polite if not a little stiff acceptance of her and so he kept it up, ignoring his wolf's constant warnings.

"Did she find anything useful?" he asked although he probably already knew the answer to that question.

"I don't know but either way I think we need a plan"

* * *

**A/N:** So judging by the response the last chapter didn't go down too well *nervous chuckles* unfortunately this one was a sort of filler as well but it is a necessary transition. NEXT chapter however which yes I have almost finished will feature Sterek :) and stuff happens. As usual thoughts/feedback are very much appreciated.


	11. Date

**A/N:(( edit: Really really sorry about this guys but apparently I uploaded chapter 12 instead of this one and didn't realize until now. Super sorry but here is the chapter that was supposed to go in between and again sorry for the confusion! ))**This can be my contribution to Sterek week and it's the longest chapter so far :) In case you haven't noticed, there has been a name change which I don't know, still not happy with it for some reason but come on, anything is better than 'All Hell Breaks Loose'. Thanks for sticking with this story! Lots of love to you all. Also in case you were wondering, 4 more chapter to go (not including this one)!

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**Chapter 11: 'Date'**

The collar was scratching at his neck and his jaw felt too smooth,_ bare_ without the stubble that usually coated it. He glared at his reflection in the dark tinted windows of the Camaro. Why the girls had insisted on this was beyond him. _A date! _Of all the possible plans, they wanted Derek to take that _thing_ on a date?

Derek didn't do dates. Dates where they had dinner and talked..._talked._ What would they even talk about? The _weather_? How the demon currently possessed his... Stiles and how Derek would really appreciate it if he left?

Growling to himself he made his way up the path to the Stilinskis' door. His hands felt empty which was stupid because what was he supposed to bring? A bouquet? That's what he had done that one time he and Kate had actually gone out in public. Later she had told him that everyone was staring and that she preferred it when it was just the two of them, away from their judging eyes. They had taken to the car after that, driving somewhere secluded and spending the night with their lips plastered together and barely any clothes between them. Just thinking about it now made him sick.

He knocked on the door, adjusting his jacket as he waited. It was the only piece of clothing he was comfortable with and he knew it was ridiculous but when Lydia had scrunched up her nose and told him it had to go he had snapped that it would stay. Stiles opened the door and for a second Derek just stared at him. He wore a plain blue button down shirt and black jeans that fit a little too snugly. The smell of blood and sulfur that had been hanging around him the past few days was gone in favor of cologne and _Stiles._

_Stiles! _Derek almost believed it. He almost did until the boy's soft brown eyes shifted to black and that now familiar grin twisted his features. Derek let out his breath. There was a cast on the boy's hand that he kept half hidden in the sleeves of his shirt but it was still glaringly obvious and it made Derek's stomach turn with guilt as he remembered their last encounter.

"Don't you look dashing" said the boy brightly, hands shifting to Derek's collar and adjusting it where Derek had pulled at it in anger. He let his fingers linger by the alpha's neck "you do clean up well"

Derek hid his growl with a grunt. "We should get going" he said gruffly, turning towards his Camaro which was parked on the street "the film starts in less than an hour"

"Oh no!" the demon grabbed Derek's arm and pulled him in the direction of the jeep "I'm not _stupid, _Derek. If we go out we do it my way. I don't want any blood on our first date"

He had expected as much.

* * *

"You're really not into this are you?"the demon sat back in the chair and chewed his lip "why did you ask me out Derek? You look like you'd rather be at your cat's funeral"

"They're all staring at us" scowled Derek, gripping his fork so hard that he could feel the steel bending out of shape beneath his hands. He was used to the looks-_almost_. He knew that the second he turned his back they would start whispering. Beacon Hills was a small town and that meant everyone knew Derek Hale, the kid who survived the Hale fire and now the withdrawn man he had grown into, twice suspected of murder and physically incapable of a smile. This was different though. They weren't even trying to be subtle. Sure some were using menus to hide their gawking but others were blatantly staring at them.

"Maybe it's because the Sheriff's son is on a date with a twice suspected murderer" the demon suggested, smirking widely at a middle aged woman who may or may not have worked at the kindergarten down the road. She flushed and looked away, intrigued by her bowl of soup "you didn't think this would be easy, did you?"

"You could at least _try _to make it less obvious" Derek choked a little as the foot that had been sliding slowly up the inside of his leg found his thigh and slowly moved up.

"But where's the fun in that?" the demon smiled even wider at Derek's glare "Oh, come on! Let's give them something they can _really _talk about."

Before Derek knew what was happening, or maybe he did know and felt he didn't really care enough to actually stop it, the demon had reached over, kneading long fingers into his hair as he pulled him in for a kiss.

Derek didn't need his werewolf senses to hear the gasps going up around the room. He scowled as he saw the demon sit back down with a satisfied look on his face. He hated that look. It reminded him yet again that he was just a pawn in its endgame. He was just a pretty face to toy with. A pretty face with a temper who just happened to be the alpha of a pack of ragtag misfits. Stiles had never looked at him that way.

"Enlighten me Derek" said the demon smile fading into a frown. His face was half covered by the bowls between them that lay largely ignored "no, enlighten _us. _Stiles, despite what he likes to believe has a large number of possible suitors. Why should he choose you? You can't even kiss him in public without making it look like you're in physical pain"

"You're not Stiles" Derek ground out ignoring the fact that it was an argument he constantly used to rationalise why he didn't just make a move. That and the fact that Stiles would find it hard to reject him – not because he was some kind of catch, no. If there was one thing he had learnt about the other boy, it was that Stiles had a constant need to please everyone in his life and even though their 'friendship' was a new development the boy would still be torn. He saw it in Jackson and he saw it in Stiles. It surprised him that the two had _anything _in common aside from their love for Lydia but stranger things had happened.

"You know you say that but you seem to forget that actually I _am _Stiles" he fiddled with his fork "I have seen everything the boy has been through- _felt _everything he has ever felt and I know him better than anyone. Even himself because there are sides to him that he would never admit existed. I _am _Stiles. In fact, ask me something-_anything-_that you've ever wanted to know about the boy. I know there are tonnes of questions you want to ask and since we are essentially on a date... we can make it a game! Our first date so how about we get to know each other a little? One question each, only the truth"

"I don't trust you" Derek narrowed his eyes. In theory this could be a useful game. If the demon stayed true to his word and Derek asked the right questions... but the demon lied. The demon always lied.

"Well to be honest I don't trust you either" the demon replied "imagine it's Stiles asking the questions. It's your first date remember! I'm just a...chaperone of sorts. Here, I'll start-"

Derek shook his head and stood up, shaking the leg off his lap as he did so. "This was a bad idea" he growled, tossing some money at the demon to pay for dinner and heading out to where the jeep was parked.

He didn't check his watch until he had ducked into the shadows, well out of sight from the small restaurant's window. A few minutes early but it would have to do. He just hoped that the others would be ready.

It didn't take long for the silhouette of the teenager to appear at the far end of the car park. The demon walked briskly over to where Derek was standing with a strange expression on his face. It wasn't nerves but it was something close. He ran his tongue over his lips, exactly like Stiles used to do before he made some sort of announcement. Derek eyed him carefully.

"Look Derek" he started "If I'm staying we really need to get along. Truth is, until I find out what exactly the seal is, I have to protect this town. We want the same thing here" Derek stared at him blankly, disbelief hidden expertly. What was it going on about? They were wasting time. They had to go _now. _"Do I really need to apologise? Are you really that thick? Fine! I'm sorry! I'm sorry I tortured and almost killed you and your pack but I was just doing my job. I have orders you know. Stiles grew on me and so did the rest of you- well except for Dopey, he whines too much and maybe Jackson, he's a bit of an ass. While you've been busy getting drunk and dodging arrows, _Stiles _and I have been having a heart to heart. I need this town and Stiles..." he pulled up his shirt sleeve, revealing the bandage. Slowly he unfastened the silver safety pin that was holding it together and unwound it "He's not invincible. He can't heal like you can. He's human and he bleeds" the demon pushed the rest of the cloth aside revealing Stiles slightly paler than usual hands. The skin was soft and unmarked. All signs of the burn marks that should have left it scarred were gone "he needs me as well Derek. If he runs with wolves he is bound to be bitten someday. I can keep him safer than you ever could" Derek stared, trying to take it all in. It was too much. Had Stiles really agreed to this? He had to admit, the demon healing Stiles was definitely a turn of events.

He had often wished for Stiles to heal. He hated having to watch as the boy came home with bruises and gashes after he once again threw himself in the line of fire to save one of the wolves. Of course that line of fire was usually directed at Scott and there was no way Derek would ever be able to talk him out of saving his best friend. The power to heal would have been handy to say the least but there was no way Derek was going to put Stiles' life in the demon's hands. _He _would protect Stiles. As soon as they exorcised the demon he was going to cover the boy in bubble wrap and protect him.

No, Derek thought. The demon had hurt his pack, the only people left that he actually cared about. He had taken Stiles away from him. Stiles would never have been burnt in the first place. It was the demon's fault and Derek was not about to let that thing twist this around any further.

"Give me the keys" he told the demon, pointedly looking away from the outstretched hand "There's something...somewhere I have to take you"

The demon frowned, apparently contemplating whether to trust him or not. "Derek..."

"Not _you_" sighed Derek impatiently "_Stiles. _There's something I need to tell him"

"Fine" he pursed his lips "but only if you tell me where"

Derek rolled his eyes "If you want to strike a deal, fine. We can work on the terms tomorrow but like you said, this is my first date with Stiles. Tonight we do it _my _way. How am I supposed to trust you if you won't trust me?"

The demon thought about it for a second before shrugging. "Fair enough" he said as he tossed him the keys. He made his way around to the passenger seat, humming softly as he went. The alpha took the opportunity to check his watch. They were right on time now.

* * *

Derek took a long swig from the bottle.

"You know you really shouldn't be drinking that while you drive" said the demon matter-of-factly. Derek shot him a look that would have made anyone else cover in fear. The demon just smiled. It was another thing they had in common; the demon and Stiles. It had taken a while but Stiles had soon learnt that Derek's bark was actually worse than his bite. After that he just put an annoying grin on his face whenever Derek glared at him or told him to shut up. It was like he could see right through the alpha and it amused him. There was hardly anything in the world that Derek wouldn't give to have that grin back again. Along with the boy who usually wore it. "You know you're really hot when you do that" Derek swerved and cursed when he had to right the Jeep. The demon smirked at him.

"Shut up" he barked on principle "we're almost there"

They pulled up beside the run down old building. It was a real eye sore but being just out of town meant that it was allowed to stay and Derek had adopted it for storing some of his less legal possessions. There was nowhere to park so ignoring the demon's protest Derek left jeep on the roadside.

The smell of dust, rot and rusting metal wafted out to greet them although the demon, despite his improved sense of smell wasn't as affected as Derek had first been. Prime position in the centre of the warehouse was taken by a broken down old train lit by moonlight let in by missing rafters. There was a gaping hole in the wall through which they could see the streetlights but aside from that the place was dark and full of shadows.

"How romantic," sighed the demon sarcastically "is this your new home? Have you given up on the burnt out old dump?" he smiled "I'm sorry that was mean. This is a very... _interesting_ place to stay. I hope you're happy here" he pointed at the bottle Derek still held "Here let me have some"

"You're not old enough to drink, _Stiles_" that was possibly the worst retort Derek had come up with yet and the demon rolled his eyes as though he agreed.

"And you're too old to be taking me home in the middle of the night but no one's complaining about that are they?" he returned without missing a beat. He plucked the bottle from Derek's hand and darted nimbly away. "I know why you brought me here Derek you kinky bastard. Last one in is a Big Bad Wolf...oh wait!"

He grinned playfully, stepping into the carriage and sticking his tongue out "come get this Sour Wolf" he teased, leaning against one of the poles still intact that held the train together. He winked-he actually _winked _at Derek and with his free hand gulped down the rest of the bottle.

It took a second but sure enough he was spluttering it everywhere. He screamed as the liquid burned his throat and Derek couldn't help but feel his arm twitch. Lydia had assured him that the holy water would only affect the demon and that Stiles would be fine but the instinct to rush over there and hold him till the convulsing stopped was almost too much to hold back. Stiles looked like he was choking, doubled over and ready to retch up his insides until there was nothing left. At least they knew it had worked.

"What the-" screamed the demon, literally panting in fury as his eyes turned black "you really shouldn't have done that you flea bitten mutt" he pulled himself up and flung himself out of the carriage, headed straight at Derek-or at least he tried to.

Derek grinned. He knew he looked like a maniac but for the first time in so long something was actually going to plan so he fucking curled his lips back and grinned, teeth and all. "Well this date has taken an interesting turn"

The demon had hit some kind of invisible barrier and it had stopped him from lunging as he intended to. He growled in frustration and tried to ram into it again and again but he was stuck. "What the _fuck_ did you do Hale?" he snarled.

Derek pointed upwards and the demon followed his gaze. The pack had really outdone themselves. The red paint was barely visible as it had been covered in dust but you could still see the shape of the devil's trap in the dark if you looked close enough. Maybe there really was some hope for them. He had a feeling Lydia was the mastermind behind the genius camouflage. There was even one painted neatly on the roof of every other compartment. They weren't elaborate but they worked perfectly and Derek couldn't help feeling proud of his pups.

"Actually" a voice spoke up from the shadows "Derek only brought you here. _We _trapped you"

They stepped out from the shadows. All of them, they had all been there. Scott moved forward first with Allison by his side – she was holding her crossbow, fully loaded with what looked like an iron tipped bolt. Derek had no idea how she had gotten her hands on it. They were followed by Lydia with a smug smile on her face and Jackson who looked unimpressed as usual. There was someone missing though and even as Derek joined them he knew that they would never truly be _pack _until they had him back. They were _a _pack- but they weren't _Derek's_. Not yet.

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**A/N: **( I just needed to have Derek call them his pups just once okay.) Anyway, thank you for reading and tell me what you think, yeah?

**((Edit: well wasn't that embarrassing! Beating myself up for that but yeah hope you enjoyed it now at least!) **


	12. The End

**A/N: **Hey there you beautiful souls you. It's Friday! I think a lot of you have been waiting for this part so I'm going to save the thanking for later. Enjoy!

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**Chapter 12: The End **

"No!" pleaded the demon "please, _no!_" they stared at it guarded expressions as they tried to ignore the desperate sobs it was making with Stiles' broken voice. The demon gripped the steel pole it had been playfully holding only a few minutes ago and shook it violently. The whole compartment shuddered.

"It's over now" said Derek as calm as he could muster. He just wanted to get the thing out and his patience was wearing thin "we can do this the easy way or we can do it the hard way"

"Don't you get it wolf?" the demon hissed back, it was an unnatural sound coming from the boy's mouth "_Of course _you don't. No one does. Not until they've been there!" he stared at them, face red, looking like he was going to break out into an angry fit again or just collapse completely "There _is _no easy way. It's hell! You humans" he spat at the girls accusingly "You make up tales of hell fire and red devils with their little horns. Every year you dress up your children and you poke fun at all the things you don't understand. You don't _understand_! They don't just burn you alive down there, that's saved for the real _saints. _No, they do so much worse and once you have a taste, it twists your mind, it crawls in with your thoughts and it sits there, _always. _The physical scars are tolerable, they heal you everyday so they can start _fresh _but the mental ones...they can't do anything about those. It eats away at your soul until one day you finally decide it's worth it. You claw your way out and trust me they do _not _make it easy but when-_if-_you make it to the surface- to the _sun_- you know that there is _nothing _you wouldn't do to stay there" at some point the demon had dropped to its knees. With its hunched shoulders and uncontrollable shaking, the body looked like it would cave in on itself. It seemed small and fragile and so much like Stiles. Derek hated himself for even thinking it. "You" it yelled suddenly, pointing at him, Scott and Jackson "You three will be down soon enough. You're abominations. God won't have you. He won't want you messing up his perfect fields of joy. I can stop it though. I can help keep your souls safe. Let me go and I'll find a new meat suit, I swear!"

"Why should we trust you?" he asked coolly despite the voice in his head nagging him to just get on with it. Lydia had the book. They shouldn't be _talking. _He had never really thought about hell and he wasn't about to start now. They could cross that bridge when they got there. It made sense that as a werewolf he would be thrown straight in but if it were up to him Scott and even Jackson would both have had a fair chance. They had both been human once. He didn't even _want _to think where Stiles would go especially after this recent bloodshed. If they both went to hell at least they went together. That way Derek would have a chance of looking out for him-_them_. Although if the demon really did know how to help them out... help Scott and Stiles and Jackson...

"because you need me" the demon countered and the words struck home. Stiles. Stiles was in there somewhere. Letting the demon go, even _thinking _about letting it go would mean placing Stiles' life in its hands. Derek wasn't prepared to do that no matter how many souls it cost him. That may have been selfish but one look at Scott told him that he was not alone. The other werewolf glared at the demon like all he wanted to do was choke it out of Stiles with his bare hands. If it wouldn't hurt Stiles in the process Derek would have gladly done it himself.

The demon reached out to clutch one of the seats and pulled itself up. "and because if you don't..." Its lips twitched and Scott had leapt from his side before Derek could even register the slight movement of the demon's arm. Allison looked around bewildered as the wolf bounded over to the cart in two huge leaps with his alpha a couple of strides behind him. "...I will shove this knife in so deep you won't be able to pull it out until he's nothing but a mess of bones in a grave beside his mother" the demon chuckled as the werewolves snarled "aw! There, there Der-bear! Your boyfriend will be fine-just as long as you do _exactly _as I say" Derek let out another growl but hesitated. Scott on the other hand lunged, almost taking the alpha with him as he tried to claw at the demon and rip the blade from the small, scarred hands. It took all of Derek's strength to hold him back.

"Scott" he yelled at the boy, _willing _him to calm down and _understand._ The last thing they needed right now was for Scott to go insane and do something stupid. He should have known it was too much to ask for even _one _of their plans to turn out right.

"Good dog!" clapped the demon, almost dropping the knife in glee "Now how about a quick kiss before we get this show on the road?" it beckoned to Derek, pouting Stiles' lips and leaning forward mockingly. It watched with delight as the alpha looked around nervously. "You haven't told them, have you?" the eyes were dancing, turning from liquid brown to black and then back again.

"Derek..." Scott asked slowly from behind him. Derek didn't have to turn to know that his face was scrunched up the way it always did when he was considering something. When he was _really _thinking through everything that he knew and was trying to put it together "Derek, what is he talking about?" He hoped his glare would be enough to warn the boy to drop it but the others were looking equally as puzzled and Jackson had is mouth open like he was going to ask as well. What the hell was he supposed to tell them? His hands were shaking again and he could feel the rage as it started to build up inside of him. They had been so close to getting out of this mess. He had already worked out what they would do once Stiles was back. He would drive Stiles straight home in the jeep and he wouldn't leave the boy's side unless he was forcibly removed and even then he would rip to shreds anything that tried to do so. "Derek you can tell us. We're supposed to be a pack! No more secrets, just tell us! Is it about your..." his brow furrowed as though trying to remember something "is it about your...soft spot for Stiles?"

"Soft spot?" snorted the demon "you could say that" the impish smile on the boy's face was not helping his thought processes. Even with that new devilish edge it was clouding his mind. "Ever wondered why I picked dear old _Stiles _to possess? I mean I could have gone for any of you but I chose _Stiles_" Derek could see that it was enjoying dragging it out. "Your alpha is fucking your best friend...surprise!"

Derek could pinpoint the exact moment the realization hit Scott. The boy's eyes widened and he took a step back, looking from Derek to Stiles –the _demon-_ and back to Derek. The look on his face might have been funny but right there, right then it made the alpha sick. He couldn't bear to even _glance _back at the rest of the pack but he could hear the soft intake of breaths from across the warehouse. Instead he glared at the demon because those eyes, those black eyes filled with endless hate and malice and everything evil in the world were the safest place to be. He could hate the demon but he couldn't deal with his pack hating him. Not now. He couldn't lose them too.

"Oh" there was a light gasp from behind him "_oh_" it was almost a squeak.

"Yeah and it was really hot" the demon smiled and the blackness faded to brown "Totally worth listening to the incessant chatter and having to use this awkward pile of limbs. I picked Stiles even though he drives me insane" it paused, either to allow Scott to process what had just been said or maybe it just liked to be dramatic "because of your stupid alpha and his giant hard-on for this pathetic human kid"

There was a silence after the last confession. It made his wolf itch to move and just _do _something instead of standing there. He couldn't move though. He wouldn't move. Everything the demon said was true and now it felt like he was awaiting sentencing. He hated the feeling. He had felt it once before after the fire as he sat in the waiting room of the Sheriff's office. He hated the feeling.

"Lydia, do it" Scott cried suddenly. Derek turned in time to hear the was the familiar whizz of an arrow being loosed. He growled as it came flying at the demon-and _Stiles_. It missed, flying just an inch away from the knife still clutched in the boy's hands but Allison was already reloading. It was like Scott had been given an invisible sign. He made another leap at Stiles and this time Derek was too slow to stop him. The werewolf wrestled the boy to the ground, pinning him so quickly they were barely more than a blur. Scott growled and the demon grunted, still putting up a fight even after the werewolf pressed his entire weight onto him. There was a sharp clink as the knife went sliding across the metal floor, hitting a pole and stopping by a torn seat. "_Hurry_!"

By the time Lydia had managed to get the book back open to the correct page, Scott was at Derek's side again. There was something about the look the boy gave him that unnerved the alpha. It was a mixture of suspicion and lingering confusion. He didn't have time to consider exactly what that meant because there was a moan from the crumpled boy on the floor.

The blue of Stiles' shirt was stained with a growing patch of red on his side. The knife had torn a hole into flesh and fabric and the blood was seeping out onto the grey floor. Brown eyes met his for a second before the black smoke flooded them and the demon curled its lips into a smile.

"Stiles!" he heard himself yelling and there were hands on his shirt, dragging him back until it tore and then they gripped his arm. Nails-_claws- _dug in, drawing dark red liquid that ran down his skin to match Stiles'. They couldn't lose him now. Not after everything that had happened. Not when they had come so _damn _close.

"Derek stop!" Derek _stop_. The voice inside his head echoed Scott's frantic yelling. Running at the boy wasn't going to help. It's what the demon wanted. They needed to get it out. He forced his body to relax, breathing in deeply as he felt the claws slowly inch out. Scott was watching him questioningly and Derek nodded.

"Exorcizamus te omnis immundus spiritus" Lydia read out loud "omnis satanic potestas, omnis incursion" The demon started to twitch, limbs jerking as it tried to get up.

"Lydia" it said from the small pool of blood it lay in. Stiles' blood that was dripping from the torn flesh "Don't do it" it started to shake, one hand holding its throat as though it would empty its intestines onto the floor shortly "you can't do this to him! You didn't even give him a chance!"

"omnis congregatio et secta diabolica" Lydia continued, eyes plastered firmly on the page she was reading as she tried to ignore the demon's voice. He may have been wrong but Derek was sure he heard the girl's voice waver just a little "Ergo draco maledicte"

"_You should be thanking me_!" it seemed to have mustered the last of its strength to yell the words at her. Spots of blood flew from its mouth landing on the floor while some flecked Derek's jeans. "I gave the kid a voice! _He_ should be thanking me!" it used the red hands to turn itself towards the blonde boy who had his arm around Lydia "Jackson, please! They aren't your friends Jackson! Scott would put a knife through you without a second thought!" Jackson scowled back, tightening his grip around Lydia's shoulders "it's the girl isn't it? She's the one who's holding you back. She's been making googly eyes at the Stilinski kid Jackson. She doesn't love you! I told you before. I can give you _anything. _Anything you have ever wanted. I can give you your parents... with them you can find out who you really are- who you're _supposed _to be. You were meant for greatness Jackson and I can give you that... we can do it together"

Derek growled low and he felt Scott stiffen beside him. They watched carefully as Jackson grabbed the book from Lydia's hands. She opened her mouth to protest but he shook his head "er omnis legio diabolica adjuramus te" he read evenly, looking up to glare at the demon "adjuramus te"

They continued the exorcism, craning to read off the book. Allison and Jackson stumbled through some of the longer words but they kept going. The demon had become a weeping mess, randomly convulsing and trembling violently between sobs. Scott had to pull Derek away from the cab towards the rest of the pack in case the alpha cracked and made to help Stiles or what was left of him. His heart was beating but faintly and it was tearing Derek apart.

"Allison" the voice rasped, weak, barely more than a whisper. Every word was seeping life out of the body it inhibited but there was no stopping it "Allison I can help you. Gerard is an old friend of mine Allison. Let me talk to him" Allison's grip tightened on the bow she held and Scott reached for her hand "What will you do when it's the life of your Dad or that precious boyfriend of yours?" it paused to cock its head at the sleek shape in the girl's hands "Your bow won't always be there to save you Allison. You're weak now but I can make you strong. Your aunt was strong. She did what had to be done"

"Allison..." Scott whispered silently and she nodded back. Lydia and Jackson had almost finished the exorcism that drew the demon out and Derek could smell the rotten eggs and blood. The smell of blood was overwhelming.

"If you finish that spell the kid is going to die" it gasped finally "his blood will be on your hands"

"Benedictus deus, Gloria patri" Stiles' body jerked backwards and his mouth flew wide open letting out a torrent of black smoke. It filled the air for a second before sinking down, leaving scorch marks on the blood stained floor. Derek wasn't paying attention to it. He rushed over to the body that lay in the middle of the burnt circle. It had sunk back down; limp and small, swimming face down in a pool of red.

He wasn't aware of much except the faint beating of a heart battling to keep pumping. He must have wrapped his shirt around the gaping hole in Stiles' side because suddenly he could feel the cold night air on his chest. He turned the boy over as carefully as he could manage only to be met with more of the red. The colour was driving him crazy. Stiles' hair, his cheeks, everything was sticky and red. Someone yelled to call for an ambulance, it might have been Lydia or it might have been Scott, they all sounded the same and he tuned them all out.

"Goddammit Stiles" his throat was dry and he tried to swallow "I swear if you even think about leaving us I will... Stiles!" he shook the boy slightly, staring at the small face that seemed so hollow. When did it become so hollow? How much of the boy had the demon taken with it? Was there enough left to rebuild? There had to be. Stiles was the strongest person he knew. He was only a human and he ran with wolves all day. He put up with... he put up with everything they threw at him and he deserved none of it. He was only human.

"Eat me up Der-k" it was faint but so sudden Derek could have cried out or maybe he had and he just couldn't remember but the weight in his lap trembled slightly as it spoke "like the wild things" the boy's eyes opened slightly and he squinted up at the werewolf "will you eat me up if I stay?"

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**A/N: **Hey look the demon is gone! Thanks again to everyone following this story - still three-ish more chapters to go. Love you all more than chocolate ice cream with chocolate sauce and chocolate chips on top. Hope you liked this chapter. Let me know what you think yeah?


	13. Time

**A/N: **Hey! Happy Monday! Thank you for reading/following/adding to favourites and uber thanks for the review witch20. Hope you like this chapter! Danny is in it :)

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**Chapter 13: 'Time'**

He woke to the sound of harsh whispers. He didn't even need to open his eyes to know that they were all there. It was a good thing too because his eyelids weighed a tonne and his head wouldn't stop throbbing. He took a moment to just breathe but it was no use. He was just as bruised on the inside as he was out.

"Dude he just twitched" that was definitely Scott and he sounded close.

"That's what you said last time McCall" oh great, Jackson was there too. Stiles could already feel the boy's presence disrupting his relatively calm aura. "_Five _minutes ago"

There was a pause before Allison spoke up "Jackson's right Scott" she said slowly "You've been here all weekend" Stiles could almost see the gooey eyes the two were exchanging. Maybe she was reaching for his hand, playing with the fingers or maybe he was pulling her close, tight against his chest. "The doctor says he'll wake up when he's ready... come home with us"

"No" Scott whined and yes he was definitely close. Stiles could feel his breath right up by his face. Personal space was never really something Scott had learnt to appreciate. Actually maybe it was more of a werewolf thing. "I promised him I would stay" Stiles braced himself for what he had to do. He tightened the muscles from his toes up to his neck, feeling every ache and pain. Finally he gritted his teeth and pushed his eyes open, letting them adjust to the light filtering in as he stared up at familiar brown eyes and a dopey grin. "Stiles!"

He looked horrible. His eyes were tinged with red and it looked like keeping them open was taking great effort. His hair was a mess, the curls stuck out everywhere and if Stiles was up to it he would probably have teased the boy because it resembled a dead hedgehog. His shirt was still stained with blood although Stiles had no idea whose it was and the smile that was plastered on his face kept twitching like all he wanted to do was shut down and sleep. All in all Scott look exhausted and Stiles had never been happier to see his face.

"Scott" he smiled back, trying not to wince as it stretched the cut on his cheek. How did he even get a cut on his cheek? "You look absolutely... beautiful today"

He heard Jackson snort as the girls laughed and moved to hover by his side. "Well what can I say?" he had thought it impossible for someone's smile to reach so far up their face but Scott was definitely proving him wrong "besides, I'm not the one with the mini fan club by his bedside." He stepped aside so Stiles could see the rest of them. It took Stiles a minute of squinting to register that Jackson, Allison and Lydia weren't the only ones there.

"Danny!" he croaked "Hey Danny! You came!" he struggled to pull himself up into a sitting position as he smiled at the boy who had been leaning silently against the door by Jackson's seat. Danny's dimples smiled back.

"Of course I did" he said and moved forward to join the girls who were crowding his bed side "how you tripped and fell onto a knife though...that will always remain a mystery"

Tripped and fell onto a knife. Stiles frowned as everything that had happened in the past week started to come back. Yes it had only been a week but it had dragged on for so long that each day could have been a century. Okay, slight exaggeration but he was sure that every single one of them save for Danny, bless his dimply soul had aged a few years at least. Now he was lying on a hospital bed surrounded by these people that he loved. These people he was supposed to protect. These people he had tortured with his bare hands...

They all tensed at the reminder, eyebrows knotting together as lines appeared on their foreheads. No doubt they were reliving the last week. Even Danny seemed to notice and his smile wavered but Stiles cut in quickly. "I am a man of many talents" he told the boy "but can we tell everyone at school that I was stabbed during an impromptu jewel heist...which I managed to stop... despite my stabbing" he smiled weakly and the others twitched their lips appreciatively but the mood in the room had suddenly become ten times heavier.

He found himself staring at Danny as the goalie nodded and moved back by Jackson's side. His best friend was a werewolf now too and Stiles couldn't help but wonder how long it would be before he was immersed in the supernatural as well. He wondered if the next time, _when _the next monster paid Beacon Hills a visit if it would have Danny on its hit list too.

"So what exactly happened?" he asked out loud, needing to break the silence. It was part of the Stiles Stilinski job description and now that the demon was gone the silence was driving him crazy. He felt empty and he hated it because he hated the demon and he should be happy and relieved and just _not _lonely. He wasn't lonely. His friends were right there. They were surrounding him with their warmth and their genuine relief that he was back. He didn't need the demon to help him function. He was fine. "after I saved Beacon Hills from imminent doom and then passed out I mean"

Allison answered with a smile "You were covered in blood and we were really scared" she said quietly, staring out of the window as though replaying the memory "Derek carried you to your jeep"

"Yeah" Scott cut in "He wouldn't let us touch you" he wrinkled his nose and Stiles was hit with the image of an angry Derek with a limp Stiles in his arms growling at everyone to stay away as he made for the jeep. Of course he would have been angry. Angry at Stiles, angry at himself and just angry at the world in general – Derek was angry quite a lot. It was an observation he stored away at the back of his mind for later. A time when he could imagine all the ways he might help Derek let go of the rage he kept inside him. Speaking of the alpha, his presence was noticeably absent from the small room. Stiles had already done a quick scan of the four corners where the alpha usually lurked being his broody self but he just wasn't around. Stiles stored that piece of information away as well.

"I think it's kind of cute" Lydia spoke up for the first time since Stiles had woken. He heard Jackson snort as he stared at her in disbelief. Stiles was fast becoming used to ignoring Jackson but it was hard to overlook the knot his stomach had suddenly twisted itself into. He desperately wanted to know what she had meant but that smile she wore was both sweet and sly and he was almost too afraid to ask. Lydia always smiled like she knew all the secrets of the world –she probably did- and Stiles had always loved it. Right now however it was making him uncomfortable and uncomfortable situations in the Stiles Stilinski handbook called for weak attempts at humor.

"He didn't let me bleed out on my seats did he?" he asked faking a look of concern "I just had them redone and my Dad... oh. _Oh!_" his Dad! Where was he? What had they told him? Stiles took a second to gather his strength before swinging his legs over the side of the bed, leaning forward to pull himself up. He grimaced as he felt the movement pull at the muscles of his stomach but running his tongue over his lips he tried again.

"Stiles what are you doing?" cried Allison, alarmed as she rushed to his side. Scott was faster and before anyone else could so much as blink he was trying to gently but firmly push Stiles back against the pillows. Stiles wasn't having it.

"Let go" he gritted out as the throbbing beneath his bandages grew even more painful "I have to see my Dad. What did you tell him? Where is he?" The Sheriff was stressed out as it was and hearing that his son had managed to get himself stabbed... it might have pushed him over the edge. He was probably sitting in his tiny office at the station worried sick while Stiles was joking around with his friends. Or maybe he was at the hospital.

"He's at work Stiles" sighed Lydia "he said he'd check on you at lunch – do you want us to call him? We can tell him you're awake"

"Oh" he checked the clock that was silently ticking away on the bedside table and saw that the Sheriff's lunch time was still an hour away "no...no that's fine. He's got a whole pile of new cases. I can wait. Besides it'll be like a surprise." He sighed and leaned back, watching the five pairs of eyes staring right back at him. It was strange having so many people here for him and he couldn't say he didn't like the attention. A year ago it would have just been Scott and his Dad and Melissa. Then again a year ago he wouldn't have been possessed by a demon.

_A year ago you wouldn't have hurt your father and tortured your friends. _

The demon could leave him but the voice in his head would always be there to remind him and he had to admit, it had a point this time. There was a lump in his throat full of guilt and no amount of swallowing would make it go away. He stared at the wall because their eyes and the way they felt _sorry _for him even though _they _were the victims... it was just _wrong. _

Scott had healed completely but his arms were held just a little stiffer and his smiles were a lot more strained. It was clear by the way he flinched ever so slightly when Stiles moved suddenly or the way he winced while the girls enveloped Stiles in hugs and he thought no one was looking that he still remembered.

Jackson was still his snarky self but he was quieter about it and the way his blue eyes bore into Stiles even from across the room was unnerving. Allison was all polite smiles and soft touches as she patted his back sympathetically. Lydia was...nice but he noticed her wariness too. She hadn't given up on her heels but her legs were clothed in full length jeans to cover the scars he knew lay underneath. There was a subtle limp to her steps as she moved across the room, something only years of watching her perfect strides could catch. It was his fault and Jackson's arm wrapped protectively- almost subconsciously- around her just drilled it in further. Only Danny hadn't changed.

"Well we should probably get going" said Jackson, breaking the silence. He stood up next to Danny "Coach ordered an extra practice before the game next week"

Danny checked his watch and groaned, giving Stiles an apologetic look "Sorry Stiles, but take it easy alright?"

"Yeah don't go walking into anymore knives" Jackson added earning him an elbow from his friend. Stiles watched for the smirk but apparently the boy was being serious.

"Sure thing" he laughed nervously, watching the boys leave before remembering there was still something he had forgotten. "Jackson!" he called loudly after them. Jackson turned and if he was surprised he didn't show it. "Thanks." The boy nodded before joining Danny, letting the main door swing shut behind him. It wasn't much but at least it was a start.

Apparently the girls had to leave too because suddenly they were all hasty apologies and mumbled excuses. He thanked them both for their part in the rescue although the words wouldn't come out right and when he started rambling they just smiled and told him how glad they were that he was back.

"Lydia I'm sorry" he told the red-head "I know I hurt you and that just is not okay but I never- I mean I know it won't help but-"

"Stiles!" she told him "I understand! We all do! It was all the demon!" and Stiles wanted more than anything to believe her.

"But-"

"But no" her voice was back to being brisk and commanding and her green eyes shone "rest and we can talk later, okay?" she was walking to the door before he could nod. He hardly had time to register that before Allison enveloped him in a hug. The warmth was surprisingly something that he needed. She was gentle for a girl who could probably kill him in several different ways with her bare hands and not for the first time he found himself understanding why Scott clung to her so tightly.

"Don't worry" she whispered as she held him close "we'll figure it out. We won't give up. We'll keep looking until we can be sure it won't come back"

"Thank you" he whispered back and she pulled away, giving him a reassuring smile before turning her attention to Scott.

"Call me if you need a ride" she told him, leaning over to peck him on the cheek before joining Lydia who was already outside.

It was just him and Scott left then and suddenly the silence was back and this time Stiles didn't know how to break it. The demon had brought them closer. It had forced them to work together and they had built a pack of sorts but at the same time something had broken between him and Scott. He just hoped time could fix it.

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**A/N: **Go forth and tell me what you think, yeah?


	14. Brother

**A/N:** So I know you want more Derek and Stiles but next chapter (which is also the last) I promise! I really need to find inventive ways to thank you all for reading! You guys are the best! Anyway onto the chapter :) hope you like! Also Happy Birthday to Tyler Posey! 3**  
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**Chapter 14: 'Brother'**

"Stiles I'm-"

"Thank you for-"

They both started up at the same time and then stopped. "You go first," said Scott, running a hand through his hair.

"Thank you for saving me" it sounded so weird coming out of his mouth because over the past year and countless times before that they had saved each other. Whether it was after the death of his Mom and Scott's father leaving or at school from bullies, forgotten homework and mad teachers they'd pulled each other through it all. More recently it had been psycho alphas with anger issues, well actually werewolves in general and of course the hunters. They'd saved each other so many times yet he'd never had to thank Scott for any of it –he didn't _need _to- and neither had Scott. It was just what they did, an unspoken promise that they'd always be there for each other. Somehow this time felt different and Stiles needed to say it out loud. "Also... I'm sorry for attacking you... I...don't remember everything that happened, I must have blocked it out but..." he shuddered as bits of the memories came flooding back. Scott sprawled on the damp forest floor in front of him, bleeding from the gashes he had inflicted. He, _Stiles. _With the wolfsbane tipped skewer that had come out stained red. Mixed with those memories was the feeling of helplessness. Of being a prisoner inside his own mind as he threw himself against the bar of the mental cage the demon had trapped him in. He'd fought as hard as his soul would let him to get control. He'd fought so hard to stop the screams the boy, his_ best friend, _his brother in more ways than one was letting out as he thrashed on the ground.

"Stiles!" Scott had a worried look on his face and his hands where they gripped Stiles' shoulders were digging in almost painfully.

"I'm so sorry" his voice came out weaker than he would've liked but the look on Scott's face and the solemn nod told him that the boy understood.

"Like I said, you have no reason to be sorry but if It makes you feel any better I know... what it's like to lose control and the demon must have been so much worse..." he said and his voice was just so... _serious _and _not _Scott. The look just didn't belong there and all Stiles wanted to do was wipe it away. In the past year he had been bitten by a werewolf, met the love of his life only to find that her entire family wanted him dead, not to mention the endless lies he was forced to tell his Mom everyday but through it all Scott was still _Scott. _Dorky old Scott with his whining and his puppy eyes. Looking at him now, Stiles could see how much the week had taken its toll on him. It looked like everything, every detail of his –their-messed up lives had finally caught up with him and it had taken with it his goofy best friend, leaving behind just this half broken mess and Stiles would mourn the loss. He would mourn the loss because he'd tried _so hard _ to stop it. He'd tried so hard to be the boy's constant, to keep him afloat ever since their lives began to go to hell he'd tried to keep the universe from robbing Scott of this one thing. He'd failed in the end and the drawn lines on Scott's face would always remind him of that. He'd failed again.

Scott took a deep breath "Besides" he said "I sort of deserved it" Stiles raised an eyebrow because just _what_? No one deserved what Stiles had put him through. He let the boy continue though, feeling the knot that had been building in the pit of his stomach twist painfully "look Stiles I- I know we haven't spent as much time together lately and I'm sorry if you ever felt like I pushed you away-"

"_Scott-"_

"No just let me finish" he chewed on his lips as he frowned at Stiles' pillow "I've been a horrible friend and I'm sorry." Stiles knew his mouth was open and all he wanted to do was tell Scott to stop being silly because no he was anything _but _a horrible friend. He wanted to tell him that it was alright but for once the words failed him. Somehow that just made Scott _angry. _"I'm always here for you Stiles! I thought you knew that"

"I do," it was a weak response but it was the best he could manage because this was all wrong. Why was Scott apologizing? He wasn't the one who single-handedly tortured everyone he had ever loved.

"_Talk_ to me, dude!" cried Scott, throwing his arms up in frustration, "just talk to me! Tell me if I screw up or if I'm being an idiot or- I don't get it! _You're _the one who is good at talking! You _always _know the right thing to say at the right time. When the Sheriff catches us sneaking out or when I'm sad, _you _always talk and you make it better" he paused to breathe and Stiles knew his heart was hammering and the wolf was probably struggling to get out "Why didn't you tell me Stiles? We could have figured it out together"

He was talking about the seal of course. Scott and Lydia had found the book so they must have figured out that Stiles had been researching the apocalypse before...they must have realised that yes, it was _Stiles' _fault the demon had chosen to possess him in the first place. This whole mess was Stiles' fault and he really needed to fix it.

"I just thought you had enough on your plate" he shrugged, hoping nonchalance would calm Scott down "I mean what with Allison's Dad after you and chemistry and all... I figured I'd give you a break"

"A _break_" so it hadn't worked and Scott almost hissed as his eyes glowed gold. Stiles had never seen Scott that angry before and he'd seen Scott angry plenty of times. "What part of getting possessed by a _freaking _demon was giving me a break? We're best friends Stiles, you're not supposed to-just please don't keep secrets from me. Not you too... Derek is bad enough as it is and if I can't trust you..."

"Scott, you can always trust me and you know it"

"But-"

"I'll tell you next time I promise"

Scott sighed but he nodded and Stiles could see his shoulders relax as he perched on the edge of his bed. They were silent for a while and Stiles took the moment to lean back and rest before the pounding in his head became any worse. When he finally looked up he found that Scott was watching him closely.

"Dude, you've been spending way too much time with Derek" he told the werewolf "I mean first the leather jacket, yeah I noticed that, and then the psycho werewolf glowy eyes and now you're staring like a creeper"

"Derek isn't..." he trailed off before shrugging quickly "never mind, no I was just going to ask if you know, this is the part where we hug and then you tell me that you love me and everything will be fine"

"I don't know Scott" he faked worry "I mean I do love you but... well I suppose I could give you a manly hug, just this once" he leaned forward and pulled a grinning Scott in by the jacket. He could hear the boy chuckle against him and they stayed there for a while, neither ready to let go. It must have been a werewolf thing because he could feel Scott's warmth radiating out through the layers and when the boy finally pulled away, cheeks tinged just a little pink, the hospital room was a whole lot colder.

"So you and Derek eh?" he asked because no matter how much had changed he was still essentially Scott and he gravitated towards awkward. "I mean he's a little bit erm... Derek for you isn't he?"

"So you and Allison eh?" Stiles countered "I mean she's a little bit erm... she-can-kill-you-and-do-her-nails-at-the-same-time for you isn't she?"

"No really" said Scott, ignoring his jape "I'm... happy for you" and the funny thing was he was actually being serious.

"Yeah I don't think Derek is interested" Stiles told him with a tight smile "but thanks for the sentiment. I'll remember that when I grow old with a dozen cats"

"You'd be surprised" Scott had a knowing look on his face which again just did not belong. What had they done to his best friend?

"Okay yeah can we not talk about my lack of love life? I mean we could talk about oh I don't know _anything _else"

"He cares about you Stiles" Scott pressed "you should have seen his face when we thought that... when you wouldn't wake up"

"_Scott_!"

"I'm just saying!" cried the boy, holding his hands up defensively "maybe you should... he might actually be alright and I mean you wouldn't be _horrible_ together... besides, maybe he won't kill you!"

"That was the worst pep talk ever" groaned Stiles, smiling despite himself "but look, about what you said before about pushing me away-"

"Yeah I-I'm sorry about that" Stiles felt a tinge of guilt as the smile on Scott's face faded but it had been bothering him for a while and it needed to be said.

"That's the thing though!" he sighed "I like Allison-she's good for you, she really is and sure you sometimes blow me off to see her and maybe I don't get to see you as much as I'd like-learning to knock before entering your room was the hardest lesson I've ever learnt- but let's face it, you were bound to grow up at some point Scott. We both were, although my future with the ladies is highly doubtful at this point. What I'm trying to say is that it's no one's _fault. _Sometimes things happen and you don't ask them to happen but they do and I guess we just have to learn to live with them."

"Stiles, this thing with Allison, I like her. I really do but I don't want it to... I mean, I could always spend less time with her if you want?" He looked so torn but serious at the same time. It killed him that Scott _still _didn't understand that Stiles would never, _could _never ask him for that.

"No Scott" Stiles told him "I'm not going to make you choose."

There was a pause before Scott sighed. "Why does it feel like we're breaking up?" he watched Stiles' smile stretch. "When did life become so hard?"

"When did we join a pack of werewolves?"

"When did _I _start rescuing _you_?"

Stiles chuckled at that one. "Don't get used to it" he told Scott "There'll be something after your werewolf ass by tomorrow, you just wait"

They grinned and fell back into a comfortable silence. Stiles was content to just lean against the pillows and watch Scott think because the boy was obviously thinking about something. He had the small half frown he always wore when he was working through something in his mind.

"Hey Stiles?" he asked finally, tilting his head up to look at Stiles "do you think we'll ever be able to go back? To the way things were before the bite I mean"

Stiles chewed his lip thoughtfully. "I suppose if we gave it enough time and stayed away from trouble sure, why not?"

"Why not..." echoed Scott.

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"Dad!" sighed Stiles, pausing to turn and face the Sheriff who was helping him up the stairs "I told you! I can do this! I stabbed myself in the stomach, I can still walk!"

They had arrived home a couple of hours before and the Sheriff had seated Stiles on the couch, ordering him to rest. Meanwhile he had been in the kitchen cooking some sort of vegetable stir fry with actual vegetables that Stiles didn't even know they owned. Apparently the Sheriff had been grocery shopping while Stiles was stuck in the hospital. He had caught his father looking over to where he lay on the couch in the living room a few times. His face was a mask but the lines were clear on his forehead and Stiles knew he was still worried.

"Stiles" he replied firmly and that settled the argument, the Sheriff continued to lead his son up to his room with the overnight bag Stiles had used in the hospital still slung over a shoulder.

When they were at his door Stiles made to take the bag from him but he just shook his head, walking in first and letting it rest on the desk chair. Stiles just stood in the doorway with his mouth hanging open.

He didn't fully remember trashing his room but he did recall throwing furniture around as the demon's frustration seeped in to blend into his own. He remembered scattering clothes everywhere and tearing books apart with his bare hands in fits of rage. The demon had been looking for the seal and he hadn't cared for subtlety. The room had been cleared up though. His books had been stacked, some on his desk and others, as many as could fit had been slotted back into his bookshelf. His clothes had been hastily shoved back into his drawer which, yes, would need to be cleared out and neatly folded away but at least he could see his floor again. Everything was almost back to normal.

He stared at his Dad, trying to formulate the words to thank him but coming up short. The Sheriff smiled in understanding and just stood where he was as Stiles walked over and threw his arms around him in what he would later insist was definitely a manly hug. It wasn't long before they were both shaking and with one final squeeze pulled away.

"Thanks Dad" he said weakly, hiding his face as he took to unpacking instead. "I-"

"Stiles it's nothing. Don't worry about it," the Sheriff replied, moving to open the curtains and let in the late afternoon sun "I'm just happy you're home"

"But what I said the other day"

"You didn't mean it. I understand"

"No it's not just that, I-I had a fight with Scott and I shouldn't have taken it out on you" at least it was partially true "I'm really sorry"

The Sheriff took a deep breath and for once Stiles could see that he wasn't frowning. The weight of the world was still there but he seemed more at ease and Stiles just hoped that it stayed that way.

"Thank you" he said suddenly and Stiles was too busy watching his eyes shine just a little bit to wonder what he was talking about "for being honest. I know it takes guts to admit you were wrong so thank you and just know that I'm proud of you, son. Don't ever forget that"

It's for his own good, thought Stiles and maybe he believed it, maybe he didn't but when he hugged his Dad again and told him that he loved him, Stiles didn't let it show. He squeezed his eyes shut and just worked on breathing deeply.

"I love you too, son"

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**A/N: **Thoughts are very much appreciated!


	15. Bed

**A/N: **And a wild chapter 15 appears! **((EDIT: Hey guys! Apparently I uploaded the wrong Chapter 11 or is just being weird but just fixed it with the correct one. Sorry for the confusion! It's called 'Date' by the way))**

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**Chapter 15: 'Bed'**

"Stiles?" there was a thud and Stiles had just enough time to spin around and almost trip over a pile of books on the floor. Derek straightened up and watched him carefully as though he was trying to work out if it was really him. It was unnerving the way the werewolf seemed to be staring right _into _him like he could somehow _sense _the demon's absence. Stiles stared right back because he had seen Derek angry and he had seen Derek happy, he had seen Derek ready to kill and once he had even walked in on him huddled in the corner of the old Hale house looking completely broken. What he had not seen was the alpha looked nervous. He stood awkwardly by the windowsill, arms stiff by his side with his eyes fixed on the younger boy and then quickly flicking away like he was afraid even staring at Stiles for too long would somehow bring the demon back. He looked _terrible, _like he hadn't slept in days but just looking at his stubbly face, frowny as usual made Stiles feel so happy he could just-

Of course that was when the memories came rushing back along with the guilt and frustration at being so useless. "Look Derek" he started not knowing if he was going to apologize or thank him "Thank-I-I'm sorry for the things that I said and I-God how the hell am I supposed to apologize for almost killing you?" his voice was getting higher and higher and he hated it but apparently his vocal chords were going to fail him today.

"Stiles" sighed Derek, running a hand awkwardly through his hair "don't. It wasn't you- it was the demon. Scott knows it, Lydia and Allison know it and even Jackson can see it. There is nothing to be sorry for but if it makes you feel any better... the pack forgives you"

Stiles opened his mouth to tell him that no, he was wrong. It wasn't entirely the demon. The demon might have come right out and said it but the ideas... the thoughts and the feelings that had fueled it- those were all Stiles. They all came from him. He opened his mouth but the words couldn't seem to arrange themselves.

It was strange not having the demon there with him. He hated the demon, he really did but there was something about having someone, a conscious being who had heard his every thought, experienced every memory and yet didn't judge him for it. The demon had inevitably used it against him but he had never, not once judged him for any of it. He trusted Derek, he really did but there was still a part of him that was terrified to say any of it out loud.

Instead he reached forward, hooking a hand around Derek's shoulder and pulling him in for a slightly awkward one armed hug. He felt Derek stiffen and then pat his back hesitantly as though he wasn't really sure where his arms were supposed to go. Stiles guessed that Derek didn't get a lot of hugs and that in itself was sad. Everyone needed hugs.

"Thanks" he said, pulling back. Derek raised an eyebrow "For being there, I mean. I saw the scratch marks on the window at the hospital. You visited me, didn't you?" Derek nodded and Stiles let out a nervous chuckle "Still haven't learnt how to use a door?" He watched as the alpha's lips twitched and he felt his own pulling into a smile.

"The lady at the front wouldn't let me in..." he shrugged as though that was reason enough to break into a hospital ward. Just the thought of Derek with his leather jacket and persistent glare walking into the hospital with flowers and a 'get well soon' balloon made his grin even wider.

"No really, thanks I mean if it was the other way around..." he trailed off thinking exactly what it would have felt like watching the demon in Derek, _hurting _him from the inside out while Stiles could do nothing but watch. He shivered.

"Really?" Derek had a strange expression on his face and Stiles suddenly realized exactly what it must have sounded like. Crap!

"No you silly sour wolf!" he punched Derek's arm lightly and Derek made a half hearted effort to glare "of course I would have visited. I would have stayed by your side the whole time like a-like a guard dog or something" He curled his lips back showing his teeth and attempted a growl which-_why? _Why would he even- "I'm the alpha now" he continued to tease and Derek smiled. He actually smiled. Maybe the mortification was worth it because that was the best damn smile he had seen in a long time. He really had missed it. However there was something else he had missed. "Wait...earlier on you said something about _the pack forgives you. _Does-" he faltered suddenly unsure if he really wanted to know "Does that mean I'm...pack?"

Derek sighed and took a seat on the desk chair, dragging it closer to where Stiles had slumped on his bed. "Stiles, you became a part of my pack before everyone else"

"Really?" he asked, ignoring the leaps of joy his insides were making. He was _pack_! More specifically _Derek's _pack and _Scott's _pack and Lydia and Allison and okay so maybe he wasn't a huge fan of _Jackson_ but he was sure he could learn to live with him. Maybe being in the pack meant Jackson was less of a _Jackson_? He hoped so. It would make all the pack bonding he had just planned out in his head so much easier. "I mean, I don't remember participating in any wolf related bonding rituals"

"It happened sometime after you started spending more time at my house than your own" Stiles bit his lips nervously "not that I'm complaining" Derek added quickly when he noticed the boy's guilty look "you made-the silence was almost too-I..." he frowned like he didn't know how to carry on so Stiles smiled reassuringly. He understood. The silence in his own home had been unbearable. That's why he had spent so much time at Scott's or had Scott come over. He hated the silence and apparently so did Derek Hale. Who would've thought?

"I always thought you found me annoying" he said thoughtfully because yes, he knew or at least he _thought _he knew that Derek found him annoying. He had thought that Derek only put up with him because... well he didn't know exactly _why_ Derek put up with him. Maybe boredom or maybe he was just fattening Stiles up so he could eat him. The guy had threatened to rip his throat out _with his teeth. _Stiles gulped when he remembered what else he had done with his teeth- and his lips and his tongue and his hands. No he was supposed to forget that. All of it. He was going to block the past week from his memory because- and then his mind was sending him images and the feel and the taste of Derek and _goddammit Stiles. _

"I did at first" admitted Derek, leaning back against the chair to survey room. Stiles sighed inaudibly as the inches between them doubled. The memories didn't stop though. "I don't know I guess you just grew on me" he shrugged and Stiles didn't know what was funny but apparently something was because Derek smiled again. What he would give to record that moment and just play it over and over again. Derek frowned too often and the times he did smile were just priceless in Stiles' books. He tried to memorize everything from the easy curve of the werewolf's lips to the crinkles of his eyes. He knew his mouth was open and he probably had a dopey grin on his face but he really didn't care. "Stiles...? You're staring"

"What?" cried Stiles, quickly looking away and hoping again that his voice wasn't actually as high it sounded to him. He could feel his cheeks start to heat up and could only imagine how ridiculously pink they probably looked. "Oh right, I'm sorry it's just that I thought your alpha contract said you weren't allowed to smile and..." that earned him a small frown and Stiles didn't know if he was more relieved or disappointed. "No, _no_! Carry on! By all means, smile away! I'm not complaining. Not at all just... you should do it more often. It's good for you. It's even been proven effective against grumpy alphaitis"

Derek let out a sound that wasn't a laugh, in fact it was more like a snort but it was a start. "You think I'm grumpy?"

_Is that a trick question_? Stiles would have asked him a year ago. In fact Stiles was about to tell him so when he realized it wasn't true. Derek was more than that. Sure he wasn't the happiest chap in the world and sure he had days where even the slightest human contact made him cringe away – Stiles used to spend those days trekking in the woods until Derek joined him after taking some time to himself- but there was more to Derek than just his grumpiness. The more time he spent with Derek, the more he learnt until Stiles could almost imagine what the werewolf had been like before the fire and before his life became so incredibly messed up. Almost. But not quite because the more he learnt the more questions he had and it certainly didn't help that the more time he spent with Derek the less he wanted to leave.

"I think you're..." Stiles struggled to find a word for it that didn't make it obvious how incredibly in love with Derek Hale he actually was. He came up short though and just ended up shaking his head. "Are we ever going to talk about the elephant in the room?" he finally asked with a sigh "you know, the ridiculously large one with red love hearts all over it"

Derek tilted his head and Stiles watched his eyebrows knot together "There's nothing to talk about, Stiles" he said gruffly "it's getting late and you should probably get some sleep" he started to get up, avoiding Stiles' eyes and ignoring his spluttering "I'm... glad you're back"

There were probably less insane ways to have done it. There were probably less insane ways that were also less likely to have ended with broken bones but Stiles didn't do less insane so he did the first thing he thought of as Derek made to leave. He grabbed Derek by the shirt and mashed their mouths together. It would have even gone well except he caught the werewolf off guard and Derek's legs gave way beneath him so that they both stumbled back.

"Sti-" Derek started but Stiles wasn't having it. There would be time to protest later. He could feel his heart beating erratically and if he pushed close enough he was sure he would even feel the thudding of the alpha's. It felt good to finally be that close to Derek without the choking dread of what the demon might do to him. It felt good to finally be able to move his own fingers through the werewolf's hair and hear the ragged breathing and small noises that were all for Stiles. It felt good until Derek steadied himself and started kissing back. After that it was freaking fantastic.

It wasn't like before. Derek's hands found his cheeks and the kiss was slow and easy without the predatory hunger the demon had brought with it. Stiles could have stayed there all day, in fact he was planning to because Derek freaking Hale was kissing _him_. Stiles Stilinski. Except he wasn't. Derek had pulled back, shrugging off his arm as Stiles tried to hold tighter.

"Stiles..." he said and for the first time he looked _really _unsure.

"Derek I love you and I swear if you even _try _to tell me that-"

"I love you too"

"What?" His original 'I think I love you, please don't kill me' speech, the one he had been working himself up to present the night he had been possessed had to be tweaked but Stiles was fully ready to deal with any form of denial Derek threw at him. _That _had been too easy though and it just wasn't right. Stiles wasn't used to things coming that easy. It just didn't work that way.

"I do but you and I both know that we can't-" he gestured between them and suddenly his voice was as guarded as his face.

Stiles laughed nervously. "Why not?" he demanded and if he came off as a sugar-deprived child he couldn't care less because he had been to hell and back in a week and this was just-_no_!

"Stiles I'm a werewolf-an alpha-and that- there will be other things that want to hurt me" Derek sighed, face softening just a little when he finally met Stiles' eyes. "They'll come after you Stiles and next time I-the pack might not be able to save you" he sighed when Stiles narrowed his eyes "Look, I know you're angry and I know you've been through a lot so why don't you get some sleep? We can talk tomorrow"

"It's not your fault" said Stiles and when the alpha gave him a questioning look he sighed. "You don't honestly believe that the demon possessing me was _your_ fault, do you?" Derek just blinked "_of course _you do. You think everything is your fault. Do you _like _hating everything, Derek? Do you _like _constantly hating yourself? Do you want me to hate you? Is that what you want?" he sneered as Derek looked taken aback and maybe just a little hurt. Maybe the demon had left something in him after all because he couldn't seem to stop. "Well grow the fuck up because _no _it isn't _all _your fault. _I _read about the apocalypse and _I _looked for the book. _I _spent hours at the Beacon Hills library researching possible seals and guess what? _I_ found it" he paused for a breath "I know what the seal is Derek and that's why the demon picked me. It was my fault, not yours"

"Stiles maybe we should-" he started to reach his hands out but Stiles swatted them away.

"Face it, Derek, we've already been marked. They're going to come for us whether we're together or not. The demon he- he knows the seal and he'll be back... for you and for all of us..." he gulped, feeling the rage subside just a little. Derek had been watching him the whole time, fear growing in his eyes and none of this was going _right. _The demon was gone so why wasn't everything falling back into place? He felt his shoulders shudder and then there were arms around him. He didn't push them away again. "Do you know what the seal is, Derek?" he whispered and he felt Derek shake his head. "_You_" Derek held tighter "You have to kill them Derek. All of them. The seal will break when the Hale pack dies and the alpha has to kill them. We finally have a pack and-" his voice broke off and that was all he could take because everything he had was the pack. His best friend was a part of the pack. He was part of the pack and through him, his father was inexplicably bound to the pack. It would destroy them all.

There were no tears, he'd cried himself to sleep night after night in the hospital but he still buried himself in Derek and breathed. It took a while for it to sink for Derek but when he did, the werewolf pulled him closer and they stayed there until Stiles felt his eyes start to droop.

"I'll protect you" Derek told him, pulling back so he could meet Stiles' eyes. The words sounded like promise. "We'll protect each other- and the pack. That's what we do, right? I save you, you save me and at the end of the day-"

"We'll howl together in the woods" he felt his lips pull into a small smile "can we get t-shirts?"

Derek shook his head but smiled despite himself. "Just promise me something," he watched Stiles carefully "tell me next time, okay? I can't step aside and let you fight it out alone. Beacon Hills is my town too and they're my pack. This isn't just you're fight Stiles, remember that. You have us just as much as we have you"

"Sure" nodded Stiles "and thanks, I'll remember that" He let out the breath he had been holding, shivering slightly. According to the goose bumps running up his arms it was getting cold. The window was still open and Derek must have caught him looking because before Stiles could protest he was on his feet. "Derek where are you-"

But Derek just shut the window and kicked his shoes off. "Don't worry, I'm staying," he chuckled.

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**A/N: **The End. (P.S. there was a lot of cuddling that night)

THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING THE BEST AND READING THIS AND JUST HUGS FOR YOU ALL I LOVE YOU! If there are any questions I've forgotten to answer I'm really sorry just let me know in a review/Tumblr/PM and I'll do my best to answer. Aside from that just thank you all again for sticking with this! Let me know what you think :)


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